Photograph of a performer, Toada, and three men dressed in theatrical costumes: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of three (3) men and a woman dressed in theatrical costumes. The woman stands left of center on a white platform with one (1) of the men. She is wearing an embellished, corset dress overlaid with a skirt that is short in front and drapes in the back, detached sleeves, a small hat with large feathers, and a small parasol. She is depicted looking towards the left edge of the image while holding her parasol above her with her proper right hand. Standing right of center on the platform, is a man wearing an open shirt, laced, with large dark and light bands on the sleeves, white pants, and sandals. He is wearing a brimmed straw hat decorated with diagonal stripes on the edge of the brim. He is depicted looking at the woman, wagging a finger at her. On either side of the standing performers, in the lower quadrants of the image, are two (2) additional men, both looking up at the woman. The man depicted on the lower left side of the image wears an outfit similar to the man standing on the platform. He crouches on the floor, with a large conga drum resting on his proper left thigh. The man in the lower right side of the image wears a white shirt, open and laced with pale bands of color, and white pants, and sandals. In each hand he holds a maraca. White text printed in the negative in the bottom right corner reads, [JAMES KOLLÁR / RADIO CITY, N.Y.]. Along the lower portion of the image is an inscription in blue ink that reads, [To "The Princess" / You're really regal and wonderful / Grand people - Success and / nothing but the best of / every thing to you / Toada]. The image is framed by a white border with black text printed in the bottom right corner that reads: [MOSS PHOTO, N.Y.]. There are no inscriptions on the back of the image.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: early 20th-mid 20th century
• Photograph by: James Kollar
• Distributed by: Moss Photo Service, Inc., American
• Subject of: Unidentified Woman or Women
• Subject of: Unidentified Man or Men
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 7 7/16 × 8 5/16 in. (18.9 × 21.1 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 8 1/8 × 10 in. (20.7 × 25.4 cm)
• Place made: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place printed: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Stereotypes
• Topic: Theatre
• Object number: 2013.46.25.35
• 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: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.