Alexander GardnerVerenigde Staten, 1821–1882What Do I Want, John Henry?
Kan ik het zien?
Nu niet te zien
Waar is „What Do I Want, John Henry?” nu? Collectie: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Nu niet te zien. Gecontroleerd 29 september 2026.
Chicago, Verenigde Staten
Het hoort bij de collectie, maar is momenteel niet tentoongesteld.
- Gecontroleerd
- Ongewijzigd sinds
- Bron
- Het museum
Over het werk
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
Gegevens
- Inventarisnummer
- 1967.330.27
In de catalogus
Bronnen
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Afbeelding: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
