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The Mystery of Lila Refregier, Marion Greenwood, unidentified guest, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Sara Mazo Kuniyoshi, Anton Refregier, and Hannah Small, Cafe Society Uptown, New York, 1940

A black and white photograph of a group of seven, sitting at a table with a white tablecloth and drinks on the table. All seven people are dressed formally and looking off to the right side of the photo.
Lila Refregier, Marion Greenwood, unidentified guest, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Sara Mazo Kuniyoshi, Anton Refregier, and Hannah Small, Cafe Society Uptown, New York, 1940. Albert A. Freeman, photographer. Yasuo Kuniyoshi papers, 1906-2016.

The Mystery:

Where: Café Society Uptown, New York

When: 1940

Who (left to right): Lila Refregier, Marion Greenwood, unidentified guest, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Sara Mazo Kuniyoshi, Anton Refregier, and Hannah Small. Albert A. Freeman is the photographer.

What: Group is gathering at a party for the Anton Refregier murals

Help us solve the mystery: Who is the unidentified man (third from the left)?

More about the People Present:

Anton Refregier was a Russian-born muralist and painter, involved in the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project commissions. Lila Refregier, who was not famous, was his wife.

Sara Mazo Kuniyoshi was an American dancer and actress. She later worked as an assistant curator of museum collections at the Museum of Modern Art. Yasuo Kuniyoshi was a Japanese American painter, photographer, and printmaker. In his paintings, he blended cubist styles with Japanese influences and techniques. Sara and Yasuo were married.

Marion Greenwood was an American social realist artist, best known for her murals. She also practiced easel painting, printmaking, and frescoes. She was well known both in the United States and in Mexico, as she traveled extensively throughout her artistic career.

Hannah Small was an American sculptor. She studied at the Art Students League of New York with Alexander Calder and Boardman Robinson. She was married to painter Austin Mecklem, and worked both in Woodstock, NY, and for the Works Progress Administration.

How to Get In Touch:

If you have leads, clues, or ideas of who the unknown individuals may be , email us at AAAMysteries@si.edu. Your email should include:

  1. Your first and last name
  2. Your organization, if applicable
  3. Your preferred mode of contact, should we need to reach you (e.g. email address or phone number)
  4. The photo name (for which you are identifying the unknown individual)
  5. The name of the individual you believe is the unidentifiable figure in the photo or any information you may have that could help us identify the individual
  6. Your level of certainty in the information you provided

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