Portrait of an Actor, Harlem

VanDerZee famously documented the lives of African Americans living in Harlem, New York City, in the 1920s and 1930s, including many artists, authors, musicians, and actors, such as this unnamed actor in a dapper suit. The Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th century saw artists and intellectuals from the black community form a new creative culture in Harlem, pushing the boundaries of art and influencing the future of art on a national and international level.