Carl Van Vechten

About the Artist

Man Ray. Carl Van Vechten. 1929. Gelatin silver print, 8 5/8 x 6 5/8" (22.1 x 16.8 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of James Thrall Soby. © 2014 Man Ray Trust/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

Meeting Points

Cultural Hubs New York
Schools Levy Gallery, 1931–49
Publications Vogue, 1892–1949

Artist Chronology

June 17, 1880	Born At location: Carl Van Vechten	Cedar Rapids
1895	Apprentices with a photographer; uses a box camera At location: Carl Van Vechten	Cedar Rapids
1904	Graduates from the University of Chicago, where he majored in English At location: Carl Van Vechten	Chicago
1904–06	Works as a newspaper reporter At location: Carl Van Vechten	Chicago
1906	Works for Theodore Dreiser at Broadway Magazine Contributor: Carl Van Vechten	New York
1906–13	Works as a music critic for The New York Times Contributor: Carl Van Vechten	New York
1907	Travels to London to photograph opera singers At location: Carl Van Vechten	London
1908	Works as the Paris correspondent for The New York Times Contributor: Carl Van Vechten	Paris
February 1913	Carl Van Vechten meets arts patron Mabel Dodge, who introduces him to Alfred Stieglitz At location: Alfred Stieglitz, Carl Van Vechten	New York
Summer 1913	Mabel Dodge introduces Carl Van Vechten to Gertrude Stein At location: Carl Van Vechten	Paris
1914–64	Lives in New York At location: Carl Van Vechten	New York
1915–30	Writes novels and essays inspired by the New York cultural scene At location: Carl Van Vechten	New York
1919–24	Explores Harlem's African American jazz and arts scene, quickly becoming a familiar figure At location: Carl Van Vechten	Harlem
1932	Begins career as a professional photographer, using a Leica camera, among others, and setting up a darkroom At location: Carl Van Vechten	New York
June 1934	Carl Van Vechten photographs Salvador Dalí and Man Ray At location: Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Carl Van Vechten	Paris
April 1935	Carl Van Vechten photographs Alfred Stieglitz At location: Alfred Stieglitz, Carl Van Vechten	New York
October 20–November 2, 1936	Third International Leica Exhibit Participant: Lotte Jacobi, Carl Van Vechten	New York
1946	Becomes Gertrude Stein's literary executor upon her death At location: Carl Van Vechten	New York
1947	Founds the George Gershwin Memorial Collection of Musical Literature at Fisk University At location: Carl Van Vechten	Nashville
1949	The Fisk University Art Gallery is renamed the Van Vechten Art Gallery At location: Carl Van Vechten	Nashville
December 21, 1964	Dies At location: Carl Van Vechten	New York

Walther Photographs

View this artist's works in MoMA's Online Collection

Barcelona—Courtyard of Hotel Ritz under Awnings

ARTISTVIEW ALL

About the Artist

Meeting Points

Artist Chronology

Walther Photographs