Basie and Lena, New York

This portrait of Count Basie and Lena Horne evokes the warm, loving energy shared by two great musicians. As an artistic response to mass media stereotypes of African Americans, Roy DeCarava photographed Black subjects with grace, beauty, and dignity. He often used low, ambient light, and he embraced the lower register of the photographic scale-the rich and velvety beauty of gray and black.

Gift of Hallmark Cards, Inc....