James VanDerZee
GGG Photo Studio at Christmas1933
hand-colored gelatin silver print
8 x 10 in.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, purchase through the Julia D. Strong Endowment and the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program
This gathering of children at Christmas attests to VanDerZee's finesse in photographing youngsters. Undistracted by their unwrapped presents or the twinkling lights on the tree behind them, they stare patiently at the camera. Only one young man, on the far left, places a hand under his chin, as if to challenge the photographer to hurry up and get through with his task.
