[John H. Allen]

Your Mirror: Portraits from the ICP Collection
Section: Self-presentation
John H. Allen (1842–1928) lived most of his life in Ithaca, New York, and held various jobs as a teamster, steward, waiter, and porter. At the time of this portrait, Allen was apparently a janitor at the DKE fraternity house at Cornell University. However, his clothing does not tell us anything about his profession. Allen, dressed in a well-tailored suit, holds a cane and leans on a column in front of an idyllic painted backdrop, typical props in studios at the time. This photograph was taken by Evan D. Evans, who was born in Wales but emigrated to the United States. In 1881 he moved to Ithaca and opened the University
Art Gallery where, until at least 1901, he specialized in portraits of Cornell students.