F. Holland Day in Algerian Costume

The London photographer Frederick H. Evans and the Bostonian F. Holland Day, like other Pictorialists working around 1900, advocated for the making of artistically expressive photographs. They developed personal approaches to the medium through their careful control of composition, tone, and atmosphere. The two men became acquainted about 1890 and were active correspondents. Visiting Evans in London in 1901, Day modeled an Arab costume he had recently purchased in Algiers. The fine platinum print Evans produced attests to his skills as a craftsman and his appreciation for poetic detail. The portrait captures Day's elegant demeanor and predilection for theatricality.