Drug Store Soda Fountain

1929

Not on view

Van Der Zee was a key artistic figure of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. Here he depicted one of the most popular social gathering places of the time, as drug-store soda fountains filled the void caused by the closure of bars during Prohibition. In 1920s Harlem, they could be found in abundance along Lenox and Seventh Avenues. Van Der Zee’s photograph evokes the pleasant if slightly disorienting experience of entering this shop for the first time. It offers a wide view of the interior filled with customers casually standing and sitting; only the soda jerk addresses the viewer directly. A combination of signage, reflections, and views through windows activates the composition.

Artwork Details

Title: Drug Store Soda Fountain
Artist: James Van Der Zee (American, Lenox, Massachusetts 1886–1983 Washington, D.C.)
Date: 1929
Medium: Gelatin silver print
Classification: Photographs
Credit Line: Gift of James Van Der Zee Institute, 1970
Object Number: 1970.539.15
Rights and Reproduction: © James Van Der Zee Archive, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Curatorial Department: Photographs

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