Art of the Harlem Renaissance The visual art of the Harlem Renaissance was an attempt at developing a new African-American aesthetic in the fine arts. Having essentially no tradition to draw upon, the would-be painters, sculptors and graphic artists set out to establish their artistic community mainly through improvisation and style. La Jeunesse (Youth) by Palmer Hayden

The Chain Gang, by William H. Johnson Believing that their life experiences were valuable sources of material for their art, these artists used recognizable symbols to convey their message during the Harlem Renaissance.

Street Life in Harlem, by William H. Johnson Africa was a source of inspiration, African-American history, folk tales, including music and religion of the South, and social injustice. This art movement helped establish this new African-American identity and contributed to the development of our modern American culture.

Lois Mailou Jones Negro Youth (1929) Lois Mailou Jones was a pioneering artist of the Harlem Renaissance. Born in New England, her life was still clouded by the prejudices of an everyday African American life. She began her career after attending the School of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. Afterwards, she went through the racial barriers to exhibit her works to the world. She perservered through many roadblocks and prejudices, without ever losing her passion to express herself through art.

Wiliam H. Johnson William H. Johnson entered the Harlem Renaissance during its making. He came to New York in 1918 from Florence, South Carolina, to embark on his career. He became a student at the National Academy of Design. He was educated there for five years, during which he learned from greats such as George Luks and Charles Hawthorne. He then traveled to places in North Africa and Europe to paint and find residence. It was by the suggestion of Hawthorne that he traveled to Paris in 1926, where he settled, painted, and studied the works of modern European masters. Lamentation

Palmer Hayden The Janitor Who Paints Born Peyton Hedgeman, he was given the name Palmer Hayden by his white commanding sergeant during World War I. In his town of birth, Wide Water, Virginia, he was often referred to as a self trained artist. He was a student at Cooper Union in New York and pursued independent studies at Boothbay Art Colony in Maine. He studied and painted in France, where he lived for some years. Hayden's reputation emanates from his realistic depictions of folklore and Black historical events. The Janitor Who Paints