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Artist
George Hurrell, 01 Jun 1904 - 17 May 1992
Sitter
James Wong Howe, 28 Aug 1899 - 12 Jul 1976
Date
1942
Type
Photograph
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Image/Sheet/Mount: 33 × 25.5 cm (13 × 10 1/16")
Mat: 71.1 × 55.9 cm (28 × 22")
Topic
Interior
Home Furnishings\Lighting Devices\Spot Light
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie
James Wong Howe: Male
James Wong Howe: Performing Arts\Performing arts director\Film director
James Wong Howe: Performing Arts\Cinematographer
James Wong Howe: Oscar
Portrait
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Object number
NPG.89.191
Exhibition Label
During a career that spanned five decades and included more than 120 films, James Wong Howe earned universal recognition as one of the movie industry’s most inventive and influential cinematographers. Born Wong Tung Jim in China, he came to the United States as a child in 1904. He could not, however, become a naturalized U.S. citizen until after the 1943 repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
Howe began his Hollywood career in 1917 as a low-level assistant to director Cecil B. DeMille’s top cameraman. After making his first feature film in 1922, he advanced rapidly, thanks to his creative camerawork and technical innovations. Howe’s skillful use of low light and dramatic shadows
were essential components of his cinematic style in films such as MGM’s The Thin Man (1934) and Warner Bros.’s King’s Row (1942). Nominated for ten Academy Awards, he claimed the Oscar for Best Cinematography in 1956 and 1964.
A lo largo de cinco décadas y más de 120 películas, James Wong Howe cobró fama internacional como uno de los directores de fotografía más creativos e influyentes de la industria. Nacido en China con el nombre de Wong Tung Jim, llegó a EE.UU. en 1904, siendo un niño. Sin embargo, no pudo obtener la ciudadanía estadounidense hasta después de 1943, cuando se derogó la Ley de Exclusión de Chinos.
Howe se inició en Hollywood en 1917 como un modesto asistente del camarógrafo principal del director Cecil B. DeMille. Luego de su primer largometraje en 1922, progresó muy rápido gracias a su ingenioso manejo de la cámara y sus innovaciones técnicas. Su hábil uso de poca luz y sombras dramáticas fue un elemento esencial de su estilo en filmes como El hombre delgado (1934) en MGM y Abismo de pasión (1942) en Warner Bros. Nominado 10 veces para el Oscar por mejor cinematografía, ganó la estatuilla en 1956 y 1964.
