Neglected Genius.: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Sepia tone stereograph titled “Neglected Genius.” The stereograph is composed of two nearly identical photographs placed side-by-side and mounted on light green cardstock. The images are rectangular in shape with an arched top. The stereograph depicts an unidentified male minstrel performer. The man is posed in a seated position, holding a fretless, four-string banjo as if playing. He wears a brimmed hat perched slightly to the left side, a striped shirt, and striped pants. He is looking directly at the viewer. He is seated in front of a photo studio backdrop of a tree and foliage with a house in the distance. A printed label on the back reads [NEGLECTED GENIUS.]. Handwritten inscriptions in pencil in the top left corner is the text [400] and along the left edge reads [Carry].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1870 - 1920
• Photograph by: Unidentified
• Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
• Owned by: Dr. John W. Ravage, American, born 1937
• Type: stereographs
• Type: portraits
• Medium: ink on photographic paper on card stock
• Dimensions: H x W (Left image): 3 × 2 13/16 in. (7.6 × 7.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Right image): 3 1/16 × 2 13/16 in. (7.8 × 7.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Card): 3 5/16 × 6 7/8 in. (8.4 × 17.4 cm)
• Place captured: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Minstrel (Music)
• Topic: Minstrel shows
• Topic: Photography
• Object number: 2014.37.29.6
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• 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 displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: Public domain Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.