Photograph by
Platon, British, born 1968
Subject of
Dr. King, Martin Luther Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
Birmingham Jail, American
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, American, founded 1992
Date
2010; printed 2019
Medium
pigment on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 14 3/8 × 21 1/2 in. (36.5 × 54.6 cm)
H x W (sheet): 20 × 24 in. (50.8 × 61 cm)
H x W (matted): 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
Description
A black-and-white photograph of Martin Luther King Jr.’s prison cell bars in the Birmingham Prison, by Platon. The photograph depicts a close-up of the bars, lock and door to the prison cell. The lock is depicted slightly off-center, on the right. The rest of the photograph are the vertical and horizontal bars of the cell. The interior of the cell is dark. The photograph has a thick white border. The edition number, [5/12], is printed in the bottom left corner. The photographer’s signature and date, [Platon 19], is handwritten in the bottom right corner. Inside the border, at the bottom center, is the photographer’s embossed mark: [PLATON ? / EDITIONED ? / PRINT ?[encircled between two bands of embossed dots]]. The back of the photograph is plain and white.
Place printed
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place captured
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Type
pigment prints
Topic
Activism
American South
Civil rights
Law
Photography
Prisons
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Platon
Object number
2021.33.20
Restrictions & Rights
© Platon
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53ea53ec8-9cfe-4acc-9f96-1cfe3a30f0e8

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

Share this page