Front / Recto

  • Title African Musical Instrument
  • Negative Date November 1917
  • Print Date 1917–39
  • Medium Gelatin silver print
  • Dimensions Image 9 1/8 x 6 3/4" (23.2 x 17.1 cm)
  • Place Taken New York
  • Credit Line Thomas Walther Collection. Gift of Charles Sheeler and Samuel M. Kootz, by exchange
  • MoMA Accession Number 1857.2001
  • Copyright © 2015 The Lane Collection

Back / Verso

  • Mount Type Mount (original)
  • Provenance The artist. W. Bradley Lemery (1952–1991), San Diego [1]; to Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York, by 1988 [2]; purchased by Thomas Walther, 1987–88 [3]; purchased by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2001.
    [1] MacGill/Walther 2001(3), p. 21.
    [2] Ibid.
    [3] Ibid.; and Pace/MacGill invoice no. 2606, n.d, annotated with Thomas Walther archival no. TW 870603.

Surface

  • Surface Sheen Matte
  • Techniques Retouching (additive)
    Contact print
  • PTM
    View of the recto of the artwork made using reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) software, which exaggerates subtle surface details and renders the features of the artwork plainly visible. Department of Conservation, MoMA
  • Micro-raking
    Raking-light close-up image, as shot. Area of detail is 6.7 x 6.7 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA
    Raking-light close-up image, processed. Processing included removal of color, equalization of the histogram, and sharpening, all designed to enhance visual comparison. Department of Conservation, MoMA

Paper Material

  • Format Metric
  • UV Fluorescence Recto negative
    Verso no data
  • Fiber Analysis No fiber data available
  • Material Techniques Developing-out paper
  • XRF

    This work was determined to be a gelatin silver print via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

    The following elements have been positively identified in the work, through XRF readings taken from its recto and verso (or from the mount, where the verso was not accessible):

    • Recto: Al, Si, P, S, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ag, Ba, Pb
    • Mount: P, S, K, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ba, Pb

    The graphs below show XRF spectra for three areas on the print: two of the recto—from areas of maximum and minimum image density (Dmax and Dmin)—and one of the verso or mount. The background spectrum represents the contribution of the XRF instrument itself. The first graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the lower energy range (0 to 8 keV). The second graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the higher energy range (8 to 40 keV).

    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Al, Si, S, P, K, Ca, Ag, Ba
    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Zn, Sr, Ag, Pb

In Context

Related Images

Charles Sheeler. African Negro Mask. 1917–18. Gelatin silver print, 9 5/8 x 7 1/2" (24.5 x 19.1 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of David H. McAlpin. © 2014 Estate of Charles Sheeler
Charles Sheeler. African Sculpture. 1917–18. Gelatin silver print, 9 1/2 x 7 9/16" (24.2 x 19.2 cm). The Museum of Modern Art. Gift of the photographer. © 2014 Estate of Charles Sheeler

Historical Publications

  • Broom 3 (October 1923): insert facing p. 177 (as African Musical Instrument).

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