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Catalog Data

Photograph by:
Platon, British, born 1968  Search this
Subject of:
John Lewis, American, 1940 - 2020  Search this
Medium:
pigment on paper
Dimensions:
H x W (image): 14 11/16 × 21 9/16 in. (37.3 × 54.7 cm)
H x W (sheet): 20 × 24 in. (50.8 × 61 cm)
H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
Type:
pigment prints
portraits
Place printed:
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place captured:
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Date:
2010; printed 2019
Description:
A black-and-white photograph of the Reverend John Lewis, by Platon. The photograph depicts Lewis standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. He is shown in the left foreground, standing with his back to the memorial. The photograph’s perspective is from an angle that looks up at Lewis from about knee level. He is facing the left edge of the photograph and has his head turned partially in the direction of the viewer. He is looking upwards and into the distance and wears a serious expression on his face. His arms are held in front of him at his waist and he is loosely clasping his fingers together. He is wearing a long, dark overcoat, a white dress shirt, and a dark tone tie. There is a light, pentagon shaped patch over his proper left chest. In the background, on the right, is a corner of the Lincoln Memorial. Its fluted, Doric columns wrap around the base of the exterior. Each side of the memorial is lined with large bushes. Above Lewis and the memorial is a cloudy sky. The photograph has a thick white border. The edition number, [5/12], is printed in the bottom left corner. The photographer’s signature and date, [Platon 19], is handwritten in the bottom right corner. Inside the border, at the bottom center, is the photographer’s embossed mark: [PLATON ? / EDITIONED ? / PRINT ?[encircled between two bands of embossed dots]]. The back of the photograph is plain and white.
Topic:
African American  Search this
Activism  Search this
Civil Rights  Search this
Government  Search this
Local and regional  Search this
Photography  Search this
Religion  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon
Object number:
2021.33.2
Restrictions & Rights:
© Platon
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Photographs and Still Images
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd556d329d6-11d4-4a33-8427-3503cdf5d61b
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2021.33.2