Carl Van Vechten [Alfred Drake]

Carl Van Vechten (June 17, 1880 – December 21, 1964), original, silver-print 6.25 x 9.25 inch photograph of American actor and singer Alfred Drake.

Complete with Van Vechten 'blind' embossed chop on front bottom. Verso features original Van Vechten photography credit ink stamping plus ID, unique archive number and printing date of July 20, 1951, all in Van Vechten's own hand. Printed on a heavy-weight matte fiber stock.

In very good condition aside from some very minor wear to edges.

Van Vechten, the celebrated American writer and photographer, was the literary executer of Gertrude Stein and a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance movement. He captured iconic images of all the key members in the worlds of Art, Theater, Music, and Literature. Van Vechten viewed his photography as a hobby; he never took commissions, he never sold photographs. He would grant permission to publish them, but had strict requirements to do so. He was a prominent fixture in 20th century photography collections with his work being included in such institutions as The Library of Congress, The Museum of The City of New York and The Smithsonian Institution.

Alfred Drake (October 7, 1914 – July 25, 1992), American actor and singer.