Charles Mingus, 1973: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph of Charles Mingus playing bass during a performance in New York City. Mingus is photographed head on but from a low angle. He is looking down at the bass he is playing and an out of focus music stand resting his bow on it cuts across the lower portion of the frame.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1973
• Photograph by: David D. Spitzer, American
• Subject of: Charles Mingus, American, 1922 - 1979
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 13 3/4 x 9 3/16 in. (35 x 23.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 13 7/8 x 10 1/2 in. (35.2 x 26.7 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Matted): 20 x 16 in. (50.8 x 40.6 cm)
• Place captured: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Composers (Musicians)
• Topic: Conductors (Musicians)
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Photography
• Object number: 2012.164.142
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David D. Spitzer
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © David D. Spitzer Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.