For nearly sixty years Jacob Lawrence was a powerful and poignant voice in American art. His historical and contemporary narratives, derived from African-American experiences, reflected the depths of humanity. Painted almost exclusively on paper with gouache and tempera, his compositions feature bold colors, matte surfaces, and naive figuration that enhance their visual and emotional impact. Urban scenes, primarily views of Harlem, were particular favorites of his and conveyed the quiet dignity of that neighborhood's citizens.

The Photographer is one of twenty pictures made in 1942 during a period of artistic and professional awakening for the twenty-five-year-old Lawrence. That year he gained national recognition when his Migration series was acquired by and divided between the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. Also in 1942 the Metropolitan Museum purchased the first of its three works by Lawrence from its wartime "Artists for Victory" competition.

Here Lawrence suggests the sights and sounds of a busy street in Harlem filled with vehicles, pedestrians, and workers of all kinds, including an itinerant photographer under a black cloth. Mixing humor and compassion, Lawrence created a lively portrait of this vital New York community that seems to transcend specific time and place to address broader concerns about the human condition.