Details
Creator Wood, George Bacon, 1832-1909, photographer.
Title [African American musicians performing on a riverboat] [graphic].
Publisher [Philadelphia]
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1885
Date [ca. 1885]
Physical Description 1 photograph : albumen mounted on cardboard ; mount 17 x 22 cm.(6.5 x 8.5 in.)
Description Scene depicting a group of four African American men singing and playing guitars while surrounded by spectators, seated on the deck of a riverboat, possibly in Tennessee. The musicians sit on a raised platform with their feet dangling. The third performer to the right plays a star shaped guitar and sings with his head tilted back and mouth wide open. He props his right foot on a stool. In the right, two African American men sit in wooden chairs. Surrounding the musicians, white men, women, and children sit and stand and look on. In the background, people walk on the deck and the smokestacks are visible.
Notes Title supplied by cataloger.
Date inferred from content and attire of the sitters.
Gift of Elsie Wood Harmon, 1982.
Description revised 2021.
Access points revised 2021.
Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Biographical / historical note Wood, a Philadelphia artist, turned to photography in the 1880s exhibiting his work, including genre scenes of African Americans, at national and international photography exhibitions. His photographs won several prizes.
Subject African American men -- Clothing & dress.
African American men -- Portraits.
African American musicians.
Decks (Ships)
Guitars.
Spectators -- United States.
Genre Albumen prints -- 1880-1890.
Group portraits -- 1880-1890.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Photographs-Wood [P.8743.189]
Accession number P.8743.189