Description:
Visual description (Claude, February 28, 2025, edited for content): The portrait of a Black person fills almost entirely this black and white rectangular photograph. They face forward, their eyes partly closed. Their skin appears to have a dark, matte finish. The facial features are softly defined against the stark light background. They wear a tall, conical headdress that rises vertically from their head, wrapped in dark, furry fabric. A decorative element with what appears to be a small round pendant with a tassel hangs at the front of the headdress. The person’s neck and shoulders are completely encircled by a thick, textured collar with a distinctive pattern featuring dark spots or swirling shapes. This patterned material forms a circular support around her neck and upper chest. (Voice: Angie Camarena '25, May 20, 2025)

Tags:
portraits; human; African; patterns; heads

Subjects:
Photographic gelatin; Women; Head--Anatomy; African American art; Portraits; patterns (design elements); Women artists

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+2016.26

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.

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