Portrait of a Family c. 1940

"Portrait of a Family" is a 1940 photograph by James Van Der Zee, a prominent photographer who documented the lives of African Americans in Harlem during the first half of the 20th century. This intimate portrait, capturing a family dressed in their finest attire, showcases Van Der Zee's signature style of formal portraiture. The use of soft lighting, a backdrop of geometric shapes, and the family's poised expressions exude a sense of dignity and sophistication. This work provides a glimpse into the lives of African American families in Harlem during the era of the Harlem Renaissance.