Photograph of Ida James: Museum Object and Cultural History
Photograph of Ida James: Date: 1945. Photograph by: Murray Korman, American, 1902 - 1961. Subject of: Ida James, American, 1920 - 1986.
The object in the museum catalogue
A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Ida James. James is depicted from the shoulders up, against a gradient white background. James is holding her proper left shoulder slightly forward, chin tilted down, and with her head turned towards the viewer. Mills is wearing a white dress that is gathered just below the shoulders and held in place with brooches set with clear stones. Her hair is in a bouffant updo with curly bangs. Along the middle left edge of the image is a handwritten inscription in blue ink that reads, [To "Laura" / My real good / buddy. Hope we / always remain friends / believe me - / "Ida"]. The photographer's mark, printed in the negative, in the bottom right corner reads, [Murray / Korman / N.Y.]. There are no inscriptions on the back of the photograph.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: 1945
- Photograph by: Murray Korman, American, 1902 - 1961
- Subject of: Ida James, American, 1920 - 1986
- Type: gelatin silver prints
- Type: portraits
- Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
- Dimensions: H x W (Image): 9 7/16 × 7 9/16 in. (23.9 × 19.2 cm)
- Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 10 × 8 3/16 in. (25.4 × 20.8 cm)
- Place made: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Topic: African American
- Topic: Jazz (Music)
- Topic: Photography
- Topic: Singers (Musicians)
- Object number: 2013.46.25.126
- 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: © Getty Images Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Sources
More in Music
Keep reading