My Parents’ Wedding Photo

Larry Racioppo

We never had much artwork in our home. The visual centerpiece of our living room was a symmetrical arrangement of three framed photographs: my parents’ hand oiled color wedding portrait in the center, flanked by the black and white high school graduation photos of me and my younger brother Robert.

My parents, Carmella and Anthony Racioppo, displayed this same wedding portrait in each of their three Brooklyn apartments. I grew up seeing it every day. As I learned about photography, I realized what a good photograph it was: a professionally lighted studio portrait taken with a Century view camera. The 8 X 10 inch black and white negative was printed unto 14 X 18 inch paper and then hand-oiled in color.

One day when I was about thirty years old, my father pointed to the wedding photo and said “When your Mom and I die, I want you to have this.”

I’ve had the photograph since 2013.

Throughout my career, I’ve photographed family gatherings at my parents’ apartment. As I was choosing photographs for BROOKLYN BEFORE, my 2019 book about pre-gentrified South Brooklyn, I was pleasantly surprised by how often my parents’ wedding photo appeared in my photographs.

 

My parents wedding photo

 

Wedding and Graduation photos, 1976

          

Christmas presents and television, 1971    

                                

My brother and parents after dinner, 1976

 

My father telling a story, 1971

 

My Aunt Anna telling a story, 1971

 

My father, 1971

 

   My mother, 1977

 

My Uncle George, 1978

 

My mother, 1978

 

My cousin Joe in the doorway, 1979

 

  My Uncle Lucky and me, 1979

In 1980 my parents moved from Sunset Park to 18th Street in the South Slope. The wedding photo was now a solo act, first in the bedroom, then in the dining room.

    

My parents’ bedroom, 1980

 

My father in the dining room, 1985    

                               

After his death in 2013, my parents’ wedding photograph had a place of honor next to my dad’s coffin.

 

My father at Lockwood Funeral Home, 2013                     

After his burial, I received some of my father’s belongings, including his wallet with two photos under clear plastic.

    

My dad’s wallet, 2013

 

Graduation party, 1975    

 

 

This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.

 

Maria Cocchiarelli

Thank you Larry for sharing these. You brought back so many memories of growing up in an Italian American family. Your parents and family portraits are outstanding.
Fri, Jun 16 2023 7:21 pm Permalink
daniel scheffer

Like seeing one of your shows in person. Awesome. You look like both your parents as they appear in the wedding photo. What a great collection of photographs.
Sat, Jun 17 2023 9:21 am Permalink

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