Photograph of Cutty Ranks at Penthouse Studios: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black and white photograph of Cutty Ranks at Penthouse Studios.

Cutty Ranks is pictured on the proper left side of the image, sitting on a ledge open to a cloudy night sky with cars, buildings, and people visible in the darkness. Cutty Ranks' proper left leg is on the floor and his proper right leg is up and leaning on the ledge. His hands are crossed one on top of the other in front of his lap. He is wearing a shirt with three fleur de lis designs down the middle and stripes on the sides and sleeves. He wears large rings on several fingers and a watch on his proper left wrist.

On the back of the print is an inscription handwritten by Bill Adler identifying the subject, location, date, and photographer.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1992
• Photograph by: Brian Jahn, American, born 1961
• Subject of: Cutty Ranks, Jamaican, born 1965
• Subject of: Penthouse Records, Jamaican, founded 1988
• Type: inkjet prints
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 10 7/8 × 13 15/16 in. (27.7 × 35.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 8 3/4 × 13 1/16 in. (22.3 × 33.2 cm)
• Place captured: Kingston, Surrey County, Jamaica, Caribbean, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Dancehall (Music)
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Photography
• Object number: 2015.132.232
• 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 underlying object's rights statement is: © Brian Jahn Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.