The Homoerotic Photography of Carl Van Vechten: Public Face, Private Thoughts

by James Smalls

James Smalls focuses on homoerotic, interracial male nudes and discusses the images in the context of primitivism's relationship to modernism, camp sensibility and theatricality, white privilege and exotic tourism, and the politics of spectatorship.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 28, 2006

Reviews

[Andrew H]

This is a superlative study of Van Vechten and the Harlem Renaissance. A black academic looks at the white gaze and writes with intensity and understanding.

[Roberto]

This is a pretty interesting book to read. James Smalls analyzes the, secret, interracial homoerotic photographs of Carl Van Vechten in relationship to the photographer’s epoch (Harlem Renaissance). Smalls draws parallels between Van Vechten and many other gay artist, among them Robert Mappletorphe. Is fascinating to read about issues of race, gender, sexuality, and culture in context and from a black author’s perspective. I highly recommend this book.

[Domenic]

A fascinating topic butchered by incomprehensible academic writing and over-reliance on others’ work.