Details
Creator Rau, William Herman, 1855-1920, photographer.
Title [African American girls and a nun posed in the outside area of a Catholic institution, probably in Philadelphia] [graphic] / William H. Rau, Philad'a.
Publisher Philadelphia
Date [ca. 1917]
Physical Description 1 photograph : gelatin silver mounted on board ; mount 28 x 36 cm (11 x 14 in.)
Description Exterior view showing seven African American girls of different ages and a white nun, possibly a novice, posed outside on a concrete patio and near brick and stone buildings and at a wood frame with a swing set. In the right foreground, a younger girl, attired in a fuzzy winter hat, oversize winter coat with an anchor insignia on the upper sleeve, knee-lenth dress, and stockings sits on a wooden swing and looks toward the viewer. Beside her sits another younger girl on a swing. She is attired in similar winter clothing. She smiles and looks toward the viewer. Next to her and under the frame are two girls, one younger and one older. The younger girl wears a knit hat and winter coat, and looks toward the ground. The older girl sits in profile, her back away from the viewer, and on a wood back chair. She wears a winter coat. Her head is bare. In the left background, by a bare tree, the nun, attired in a habit and wearing glasses, smiles, stands, looks toward the viewer, and holds the shoulders of a younger girl standing in front of her. She wears winter clothing, including a hat, coat, and stockings. Her eyes look down. Across from them, stand two older girls, one with bows in her hair and wearing a winter coat over her dress. The girl beside her wears a cardigan sweater over a dress with a smock. They look toward the viewer. Wooden walls and bare trees line the patio. A storm cellar is also visible. Possibly photographed at the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary or Sisters of St. Joseph.
Notes Title supplied by cataloger.
Date inferred from content and active dates of photographer.
Photographer's imprint stamped in lower right of mount.
Purchased with the Davida Tenenbaum Deutsch African American History Fund.
RVCDC
Subject Catholic Church -- Education.
African American girls -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Nuns -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Swings -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American History.
Philadelpha artists.
Genre Gelatin silver prints -- 1910-1920.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| photo - Rau [P.2024.25]
Accession number P.2024.25