Father Prays over Son on Osu Beach, Accra, Ghana
1973
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 22.8 × 34 cm (9 × 13 3/8 in.) sheet: 27.8 × 35.5 cm (10 15/16 × 14 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund
Accession Number
2022.21.3
Art Historical Context
In 1973, acclaimed photographer Chester Higgins captured a moving moment in *Father Prays over on Osu Beach,ra, Ghana*. This silver print depicts a father kneeling in prayer over his young son the sandy shores of Accra, Ghana's vibrant capital. Higgins, known for his evocative black-and-white imagery exploring African and African American spirituality, freezes this intimate ritual amid the vast ocean backdrop, blending personal devotion with the expansive natural world. The gelatin silver print medium, a hallmark of mid-20th-century photography lends the image its rich tonal range and sharp d...