Carl Van Vechten [Luise Rainer]

Carl Van Vechten (June 17, 1880 – December 21, 1964), original, silver-print postcard photograph of German-American film actress Luise Rainer.

Embossed on the front bottom with "Photograph by Carl Van Vechten" original 'blind' stamp. 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.

Luise Rainer (January 12, 1910 – December 30, 2014), German-American film actress. She was the first actor to win more than one Academy Award and, with that, the first to win back-to-back; at the time of her death, thirteen days shy of her 105th birthday, she was the longest-lived Oscar recipient, a superlative that has not been exceeded as of 2019.