"The Gentle People" [Alfredo Valente]

'The Gentle People,' Comedy Play by Irwin Shaw, played the Belasco Theatre in New York City. The production opened January 5th, 1939 and ran for 141 performances. Original, 8 x 10 silver-print photograph featuring Roman Bohnen and Sylvia Sidney. Credited to the iconic Broadway photographer Alfredo Valente.

Alfred Valente (1899-1973) produced dramatically lit, richly toned stage pictures. His rise correspondended with the 1930s reaction against the artistic manipulations of prints performed by M. I. Boris, G. Maillard Kesslere, and Hal Phyfe in the late 1920s. Influenced by the representational painters of the 1930s, he believed straight portraiture could be rendered dramatic by camera angles and lighting, so artistic effect was achieved in the set up of the shot by dynamic arrangement of the subject rather than by the manipulation of the negative. Interestingly, however, his portrait work for film studios tends to have lighter backgrounds than his stage portraiture.

Valente signed his exhibition works in pencil in the lower margin or on white mounting board. His theatrical publicity work was usually stamped on the back.

Verso bears original Valente credit stamping, NY Public Library stampings and handwritten notations and IDs. Printed on a heavy-weight stock. In very good condition with light signs of wear and handling.