Photograph of Etta Moten Barnett: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a black and white photograph of Etta Moten Barnett. It depicts her seated, wearing a light colored blouse with a scooped, gathered neckline and short puffy sleeves. On the bottom she wears a gathered and flounced flowered skirt. Over it she wears a small solid colored apron with stripes on the bottom hem and on its pocket. She is seated in a quarter turn from the camera, with her left leg crossed over her right knee. Her hands are clasped together over her left knee. Her head is turned towards her right shoulder and her gaze is directed to her right. In the bottom right corner of the image is white text that reads “BRUNO /of / HOLLYWOOD / NYC.” The photographer’s stamp is on the back.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1934-1972
• Photograph by: Anthony J. Bruno, American, 1893 - 1976
• Owned by: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
• Subject of: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (image): 9 1/4 × 7 5/16 in. (23.5 × 18.6 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (sheet): 9 15/16 × 8 1/8 in. (25.2 × 20.6 cm)
• Place captured: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Broadway Theatre
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Topic: Women
• Object number: A2022.13.1.88
• 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: © Anthony J. Bruno Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.