Explore Black History

ca. 1991

A color Polaroid photograph of a painting on an easel by Donna Summer, taken by Donna Summer. The image is centered on an abstract portrait of a Native American man in regalia, sitting on an easel. The man is shown in bust pose on the right of the portrait, with his head turned towards his proper right shoulder. He is wearing white regalia with blue and gold detailing on the sleeves and collars, as well as a war bonnet with yellow and white feathers and blue and red ribbons framing his face. The man is painted against a red, black, and white striped background at the top and a yellow background at the bottom. The painting is resting against a thin white board. The portrait, and the wooden easel it is sitting on, partially obscures another painting resting on the floor behind it. The painting on the floor is highly abstract and set against a black background. It features horizontal black and yellow stripes as well as vertical blue, yellow, and black stripes. At the top center is a finger with a red fingernail just below a wedge shape with a leopard print pattern. The painting is resting on a medium brown wooden floor and leaning against a plain white wall. In the background is a set of windows with gray valence hanging above. The back of the polaroid is black with a white frame. The date and film code, [02111111089], is printed in the bottom left corner with [POLAROID ® 6] in the right corner.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Photographs and Still Images

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2023.85.2.2

dye diffusion transfer prints

© Estate of Donna Summer
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

dye on photographic paper

H x W x D (Sheet): 4 1/4 × 3 1/2 × 1/16 in. (10.8 × 8.9 × 0.2 cm)
H x W (Image): 3 1/8 × 3 1/16 in. (7.9 × 7.8 cm)

Object Name • Polaroid photograph of a work on canvas on an easel by Donna Summer

nmaahc_2023.85.2.2

NMAAHC

POLAROID PHOTOGRAPH OF A WORK ON CANVAS ON AN EASEL BY DONNA SUMMER

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1990s

Summer, Donna • Eastman Kodak Company

Thousand Oaks • United States • North and Central America • California • Ventura County

Photography • Art • Disco (Music) • Composers (Musicians) • Singers (Musicians)

City • Thousand Oaks • County • Ventura County • State • California • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

Images

Use Restricted