Artists of the Harlem Renaissance

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Artists of the Harlem Renaissance
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erry-butler-the-harlem-renaissance.htm?sorigcats
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• Study the following five artists through an
  example of their work and discuss with a partner

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William H. Johnson-Burned Out
Born in Florence, South Carolina, Johnson painted
many scenes of the rural south even after moving
to Harlem. The mediums used in many of his
paintings, including this, are oil on wood.
Paperboard and burlap were two other canvases
he used with oils.
Read more about Johnson http//www.artcyclopedia.
com/artists/johnson_william_h.html
http//americanart.si.edu/images/1967/1967.59.610_
1a.jpg
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Jacob Lawrence-VIII59. From the series Great
Ideas of Western Man.
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Lawrence came
to Harlem with his mother when he was three and
painted during the depression. Much of his work
contains symbolism and large themes. His mediums
were tempera and gouache on paper and paperboard.

Read more about Jacob Lawrence http//www.artcycl
opedia.com/artists/lawrence_jacob.html
http//americanart.si.edu/images/1984/1984.124.171
_1a.jpg
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Romare Bearden-Spring Way
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bearden moved
to New York with his family as a child. Although
he didnt begin painting until after the decline
of the Harlem Renaissance, his childhood there
influenced his work as an artist. His roots in
the South and his commitment to portraying the
every day life of African Americans are the
themes in his work. His medium is collage on wood
or paperboard and sometimes covered with lacquer.
Read more about Bearden http//www.artcyclopedia.
com/artists/bearden_romare.html
http//americanart.si.edu/images/1999/1999.9_1a.jp
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Meta Warrick Fuller-Talking Skull
The first African American artist to break
through in America. Her mediums in sculpture
were painted plaster and bronze. Best known for
her piece Ethiopia Awakening, her sculptures
explore the African heritage and traditions of
African American. In addition, she used
sculpture as a means of expressing her protest of
the treatment of African Americans at the time
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Aaron Douglas-Aspiration
Douglas was born near Kansas City, Kansas. After
teaching for a few years, he began studying
illustrating and was encouraged to turn to
African art for his inspiration. His medium was
oil on canvas. Later, as a muralist, he was
commissioned to paint a series of murals for
Howard University, depicting the development of
the African American heritage and culture.
Read more about Douglas http//www.artcyclopedia.
com/artists/douglas_aaron.html
http//www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/Harlem/text/adouglas
_slide.html
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Archibald Motley-Barbecue
Although he never lived in Harlem, Motley became
associated with the Harlem Renaissance after he
became the first African American artist to have
a solo exhibition in New York. Born in New
Orleans and moving to Chicago, Motley also strove
to depict the every day life of the African
American culture. His medium was oil on canvas.
Read more about Motley http//www.artcyclopedia.c
om/artists/motley_archibald.html
http//www.negroartist.com/negro20artist/archibal
d20motley/pages/Archibald20Motley20Barbecue,20
1960_jpg.htm