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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Notable Artists and Their Pieces

Lois Mailou Jones Self-Portrait; Women's Art                                                  The Ascent of Ethiopia; I Too Sing America                                              Girl With Yellow Hat; Obelisk Art History 

"My belief is that it is most important for an artist to develop an approach and philosophy about life - if he has developed this philosophy, he does not put paint on canvas, he puts himself on canvas."

                                                                                                                                                                       ~ Jacob Lawrence, ​​​​​​​PBS

Aaron Douglas

       Aaron Douglas, known as the father of black American art, might have been the most famous artist in the Harlem Renaissance. 

  • His art often mixed African-American history with contemporary happenings

  • Douglas created his own style reminiscent of cubism.

 "I tried to keep my forms very stark and geometric with main emphasis on the human body . . . I tried to portray everything . . . simplified and abstract and . . . in the spirituals. In fact, I used the starkness of the old spirituals as my model- and at the same time I tried to make my painting modern."                                                                                         ~ Aaron Douglas, The Art Story

Aaron Douglas; Omaha World-Herald

Portrait of Aaron Douglas; I Too Sing America

Let My People Go; Metropolitian Museum of Art

  • Painted groundbreaking artwork Let My People Go, connecting the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt to racism toward blacks in America

  • Broke the barrier of depicting Biblical scenes with whites

  • Portrayed blacks in a position of significance

". . . transform Christian iconography by putting black subjects in central roles."                   ~ Rebecca Seiferle ​​​​​​, The Art Story

"He was doing something twofold: he was looking at the biblical history, but he was also looking at the social plight- that African Americans were under the rule of the Pharaoh, so to speak."                                                                                                                                                                    ~ David Driskell, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Emperor Jones Series; I Too Sing America

Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller

"Her life and career as a sculptor stands as one woman's determination to fight the challenges of being black and female in a male-dominated profession."                       ~ Robert L. Hall, Black Women of the                       Harlem Renaissance Era

  • a gifted sculptor who battled poverty, racism, and sexism throughout her career 

  • became an inspiring figure in New York’s community of black artists, breaking gender barriers

Meta Vaux Fuller Working; Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era

Ethiopia Awakening; National Museum of African-American History and Culture

  • Created life-size bronze sculpture Ethiopia Awakening, which was renowned for its authentic portrayal of independence and revival ​​​​​​

  • Ethiopia's firm, rising figure represents the awakening of black culture and awareness- wrapped, unable to move at the bottom, but gradually coming to life

"The woman's right palm rests on her breast, as if against her heart, while her left arm, flush against her body, ending with her fingers that extend outward in an expressive gesture. Softly turned toward her left, her closed eyes convey a depth of inner feeling."​​​​​​​                                                                                                                                                                               ~ Rebecca Seiferle, The Art Story

  • ​​​​​​​Sculpture refers to Ethiopia and Egypt, two African countries widely brought up during the Harlem Renaissance for their self-sustenance​​​​

“Here was a group who had once made history and now after a long sleep was awakening, gradually unwinding the bandage of its mummied past and looking out on life again, expectant but unafraid, and with at least a graceful gesture.”                                                                                                                                                                    ~ Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, Women Artists of the Harlem Renaissance

Jason; Art of Black America

Talking Skull; Google Arts Culture

The Wretched; Google Arts and Culture

Mother and Child; Danforth Art Museum

"Fuller continued to infuse romanticism and emotionalism into her sculpture, which narrates the richness of the black experience."                                                                           ~ Robert L. Hall, Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era

Mary Turner; Google Arts and Culture

 Supporting the Artists  Impact