Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Exhibition Label

Legendary blues singer Bessie Smith first made a name for herself performing in tent shows and vaudeville theaters, where audiences warmed to her powerful, earthy contralto. Smith's big break came in 1923, when she signed with Columbia and released her debut recording, "Down Hearted Blues." The phenomenal success of that record and those that followed established Smith as the undisputed "Empress of the Blues." Able to command as much as $2,000 a week at the height of her fame, Smith played to packed houses and recorded with the top jazz musicians of the day. Although her career suffered a sharp decline with the onset of the Depression and the collapse of the recording industry, Smith continued to perform until an automobile accident claimed her life in 1937. Her musical legacy has influenced countless performers, from Billie Holiday to Janis Joplin.

Artist

Carl Van Vechten, 17 Jun 1880 - 21 Dec 1964

Sitter

Bessie Smith, 15 Apr 1894 - 26 Sep 1937

Date

1936

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Dimensions

Image/Sheet: 35.3 x 27.7 cm (13 7/8 x 10 7/8")

Mat: 71.1 x 55.9 cm (28 x 22")

Type

Photograph

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Object number

NPG.2006.11

Culture

Bessie Smith: American\African American

Topic

Costume\Jewelry\Earring

Interior

Bessie Smith: Female

Bessie Smith: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Jazz

Bessie Smith: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Rhythm and Blues

Portrait

Restrictions & Rights

© Carl Van Vechten Trust