Portrait of Bothwell Browne

Portrait of Bothwell Browne
Inventory
Collection Number: 
17659
Building: 
Current Location: 
Storage Room 303
Floor: 
Lower Level/Vault
Object Description
Artist: 
Artist Dates: 
1884 -1982
Artist Nationality: 
American
Object Type: 
Details: 
The image seen here is a sepia-toned photograph of post-silent era screen star, Bothwell Browne.
Framed: 
Yes
Length: 
25 inches
Width: 
1 inch
Height: 
31 inches
Description: 

Though cross-dressing vaudevillians were fairly common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, dancer Bothwell Browne (1877-1947) broke from a tradition of broadly humorous bawdy or vulgar impersonations in favor of work that explored a more nuanced view of gender. Famous for playing characters such as Cleopatra, Browne often drew from an Eastern tradition he imagined as sensual and feminine. Browne is not dressed in women's clothing in Orval Hixon's portrait, but his sinuous pose and draped costume certainly challenged conventions of American masculinity. Some audiences found Browne's style discomforting, and while he gained great fame on the stage, he found little success in the era's comic films.

Reproduce the Work in Library publications/publicity, including film or videotape: 
Yes
Make slides or videotapes for educational use: 
Yes
Permit the general public to photograph the work : 
Yes