Slow Fade to Black: Dorothy Jean Dandridge: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Color inkjet print (a) of Dorothy Jean Dandridge in a green frame (b).

The photograph (a) is intentionally out of focus. The figure of Dorothy Jean Dandridge is in the center of the photograph. Dandridge's body is angled to the left with her head turned toward the camera. She is in a form-fitting strapless silver dress with a train. Dandridge gives off the appereance of dancing and has her knees and arms bent. The left side of the photograph has a blurred image of a black shape [piano] that extends out of the frame. The background is orange with shadows around the edges that highlight Dandridge in the center. The original photograph shows the grand piano with the lid propped open and a candle resting on the case. Dandridge is wearing a matching earrings and necklace set of dark inlaid gemstones. She has silver heels that match the ruched silver dress with a sweetheart neckline.

The photograph is inset in the frame (b). The back borders of the frame are raised and have paper tape around the edges. At the top is a sticker with the TransArt International shipping label. The center portion of the frame has two white adhesive labels, one with information about the artist, Carrie Mae Weems. The other has exhibit details and the address for the Jack Shainman Gallery. Below this tag is information about the frame with cleaning instructions checked in black ink. There is a corded metal wire screwed into the frame to hang the photograph.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 2009-2010
• Photograph by: Carrie Mae Weems, American, born 1953
• Subject of: Dorothy Dandridge, American, 1922 - 1965
• Type: portraits
• Type: inkjet prints
• Medium: inkjet print (a): ink on photographic paper;
• Medium: frame (b): acrylic, wood, wire and metal
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 11 3/4 × 8 3/4 in. (29.8 × 22.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (Frame): 12 7/8 × 9 7/8 × 1 1/2 in. (32.7 × 25.1 × 3.8 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Art
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Mass media
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2017.20.6ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder in honor of Richard and Laura Parsons, Colin and Alma Powell, and Darren Walker
• 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: © Carrie Mae Weems Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.