The Life and Photography of Doris Ulmann 9780813156392, 0813156394

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Publication of this volume was made possible in part by grants from the E.O. Robinson Mountain Fund and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Copyright © 2001 by Philip Walker Jacobs Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth, serving Bellarmine College, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Club Historical Society, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University. All rights reserved. Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky 663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008 05 04 03 02 01

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Frontispiece: Doris Ulmann Taking Photograph with View Format Camera, ca.19331934. Gelatin silver print. John Jacob Niles. John Jacob Niles Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jacobs, Philip Walker. The life and photography of Doris Ulmann / Philip Walker Jacobs, p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8131-2175-2 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. Ulmann, Doris, d. 1934. 2. Women photographers—United States—Biography. 3. Portrait photography—United States. I. Title. TR140.U426J33 2001 770'.92—dc21 [B] 00-036337

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Just as painters get the likenesses in their portraits from the face and the expression of the eyes, wherein the character shows itself, but make little account of the other parts of the body, so must I be permitted to devote myself rather to the signs of the soul in men, and by means of these to portray the life of each, leaving to others the description of their great conceits. Plutarch Sometimes give me thought,—when you wake during the night, you can think of me working with my plates in my dark room. Doris Ulmann, in a letter to Cammie Henry

List of Figures and Plates Preface

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xv

Chapter One: Beginnings

1

Chapter Two: Moving On

45

Chapter Three: Photographing the South Chapter Four: The Last Trip Catalogue of Images

89

133

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Appendix One: A Selective List of Public and Private Collections Containing Photographs, Books, and Archives By and About Doris Ulmann 225 Appendix Two: A List of Doris Ulmann's Exhibitions Appendix Three: Published Photographs

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Appendix Four: The Medium, Edition, Identification, and Rarity of Doris Ulmann's Photographs 249 Appendix Five: A Selective Index of Doris Ulmann's Photographic Subjects Notes

265

Bibliography Index

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297

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1. Mennonite Woman, Pennsylvania xx 2. Felix Adler 5 3. Henry and Edna Necarsulmer 7 4. Evelyn Necarsulmer 9 10 0

5. Bernhard Ulmann Holding His Granddaughter, Evelyn

6. Bernhard Ulmann, Doris Ulmann, and Her Husband, Dr. Charles Jaeger, 11 Her Niece, Evelyn Necarsulmer, and Two Other 7. Dr. Charles H. Jaeger 14 8. Clarence H White 18 9. M z x t t ^ r

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10. flora Ulmann Taking Photograph with View Format Camera 24 11. Miss Grizzel Baillie, Scotland 28 12. The Rev. Dr. Jabez Bunting, Scotland 29 13. Dr. Abraham Jacobi 32 14. Dr. Adrian Van Sindern Lambert 35 15. Page from The Faculty of the College ofPhysicians and36 16. Dr. William George Mac Callum 39

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17. Magnified views of Doris Ulmann's signatures, monogram, and stamp 18. City Woman 46 19. Edna Woolman Chase 48 20. Hands, John Jacob Niles 52 21. Young African American DockWorker 53

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22. Dunkard Woman, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia 58 23. Doris Ulmann andJulia Peterkin 61 24. Footwashing, South Carolina 65 25. The Chain Gang, South Carolina 6 6 26. Baptism, South Carolina 69 27. Allen Eaton

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28. Olive Dame Campbell 73 29. Dr. William J. Hutchins

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30. African Americans Worshipping in South Carolina Church811 31. Christopher Lewis, Appalachian Minister 83 3 32. MaxBroedel

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33. Robert Frost 86 34. S«ftT o/Y/tf1 //