Carl Van Vechten [Marlon Brando]

Carl Van Vechten, (June 17, 1880 – December 21, 1964) original print/'real photo post card' of legendary American actor Marlon Brando.

This unsigned, vintage Van Vechten image, features the hand written title "Marlon Brando" and unique printed post card graphics on its verso. Embossed on its front side, bottom right of center is a "Photograph by Carl Van Vechten" original 'blind' stamp. The photograph measuring approximately 3.5 x 5.5 inches, printed on a thick weight matte "Du Pont Defender" stock, is in fine condition aside from some minor age wear.

Van Vechten, the celebrated American writer and photographer, was the literary executer of Gertrude Stein and a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance movement. He captured iconic images of all the key members in the worlds of Art, Theater, Music, and Literature. Van Vechten viewed his photography as a hobby; he never took commissions, he never sold photographs. He would grant permission to publish them, but had strict requirements to do so. He was a prominent fixture in 20th century photography collections with his work being included in such institutions as The Library of Congress, The Museum of The City of New York and The Smithsonian Institution.

Marlon Brando, Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004), American screen and stage actor. He was hailed for bringing a gripping realism to film acting, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest movie actors of all time. A cultural icon, Brando is most famous for his Oscar-winning performances as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (1954) and Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972), as well as influential performances in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Viva Zapata! (1952), Julius Caesar (1953), The Wild One (1953), Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), Last Tango in Paris (1972) and Apocalypse Now(1979). Brando was also an activist, supporting many issues, notably the African-American Civil Rights Movement and various American Indian Movements. 

Brando was ranked by the American Film Institute as the fourth greatest screen legend among male movie stars whose screen debuts occurred in or before 1950. Considered to be one of the most important actors in American cinema, Brando was one of only three professional actors, along with Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe, named by Time magazine as one of its 100 Persons of the Century in 1999.