Two Faces of the 1930s — Al Capone & Vintage Photography T-Shirt | Reading Frames
Two photographs. Two faces of American history.
On the front, a mysterious woman poses with a watermelon — an enigmatic image from the world of vintage photography, theatrical gestures, and popular culture. Her identity remains uncertain, but the photograph has lost none of its strange charm.
On the back, a very different portrait: Al Capone, photographed by the Miami police in 1930. The notorious Chicago gangster faces the camera in a police identification photograph, his image reduced to two views and an identification number.
The man they couldn't convict of murder — but finally caught for taxes.
During Prohibition, Al Capone built a criminal empire through illegal alcohol, gambling, and organized crime. Despite his notoriety, prosecutors struggled to secure convictions for his most serious alleged activities.
The remarkable twist came in 1931. Rather than being convicted of bootlegging, racketeering, or murder, America's most famous gangster was ultimately sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for income tax evasion.
It is one of the great ironies of American criminal history: a man who had evaded prosecution for years was brought down by his failure to pay taxes on his illegal income.
Two images. Two different kinds of portrait.
One carefully staged for the camera. The other produced by the machinery of law enforcement. Together, they capture something of the contradictions, spectacle, and visual culture of twentieth-century America.
ABOUT READING FRAMES
Reading Frames is an independent artistic project dedicated to rediscovering archival photography and the forgotten stories preserved in images.
Every design begins with a carefully selected historical photograph. Through unexpected juxtapositions and contemporary compositions, we give archival images a new visual life — without losing sight of the histories behind them.
This T-shirt belongs to our Reading Frames — Printed Editions collection.
PRODUCT DETAILS
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Comfort Colors 1717 heavyweight T-shirt
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Garment-dyed cotton
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Two archival photographic prints — front and back
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Produced on demand
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Printed and shipped by our production partner
Wear a photograph. Carry a story.
More details
- 100% combed cotton
- Marles color is 85% cotton and 15% viscose
- Heavyweight fabric: (5.3 oz)
- Yarn diameter: 28 singles
- Pre-shrunk
- Regular fit
- Crew neck
- Side-seamed construction
- Double-needle topstitch on the sleeves and hem
- Ribbed collar
- Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
- Tear-away label
EU GPSR Product Information:
- Manufacturer contact information
- Name: Reading Frames
- Email: reading-frames-shop@support.fourthwall.com
- Postal address: PO Box 5696 Santa Monica, CA 90405
- Additional information: This product is made for adults. Meets the flammability, lead, cadmium, phthalates and formaldehyde level requirements. 2 year warranty in EEA and UK, established by Directive 1999/44/EC.
Quality Guarantee & Returns
- Quality is guaranteed. If there is a print error or visible quality issue, we'll replace or refund it.
- Because the products are made to order, we do not accept general returns or sizing-related returns.
Two Faces of the 1930s — Al Capone & Vintage Photography T-Shirt | Reading Frames Size Guide
| Size label | A | B |
|---|---|---|
|
S
|
28
|
18 1/2
|
|
M
|
29 1/2
|
20 1/2
|
|
L
|
31
|
22.25
|
|
XL
|
32.25
|
24
|
|
2XL
|
33
|
25.23
|
|
3XL
|
33 1/2
|
26.75
|
