Alexander GardnerÉtats-Unis, 1821–1882What Do I Want, John Henry?
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Pas exposée actuellement
Où est « What Do I Want, John Henry? » aujourd’hui ? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Pas exposée actuellement. Vérifié 29 septembre 2026.
Chicago, États-Unis
Elle appartient à la collection, mais n’est pas présentée en ce moment.
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- Dans cet état depuis
- Source
- Le musée
À propos de l’œuvre
At the start of the Civil War, Alexander Gardner was granted unlimited access to photograph the Union troops. The images Gardner produced over the next four years—documenting the aftermath of battles and the life of soldiers in camp—were seen primarily in exhibitions and circulated in smaller form as cartes de visite. He published Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book of the War in 1865, at the war’s end. With two volumes of 50 albumen prints each, the album retailed for $150—the equivalent of several months of an average worker’s wages—making it a luxury item. According to the photographer, “What do I want, John Henry?” was a question this Union captain frequently asked his servant (ex-slaves most often served the Northern army as cooks and laborers). On the page accompanying this photograph, Gardner patronizingly described John Henry as an “affectionate creature” of “untutored nature,” who was grateful for his newfound freedom at the war’s end.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Notice
- Numéro d’inventaire
- 1967.330.27
Au catalogue
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image : Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
