The Art of Aaron Douglas By Eilyn candelo

Aaron Douglas: African American Painter, Illustrator, and Educator Aaron Douglas is one of the most important and influential artist of his time. Born in 1899 in Topeka Kansas. He graduated from Topeka High school. He graduated from University of Nebraska and earned a fine arts degree. After graduation he taught at Lincoln High school in Kansas City, Missouri, for two years before deciding to move to Harlem, New York City.

Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist 2 Douglas moved to Harlem in 1925 to pursue his career as an artist. Douglas most influential work are his illustrations for written works about African American life, labor, and freedom. He worked with black artist and writers such as Langston Hughes, Charles Johnson, Countee, Cullen, Wallace Thurman, James weldon Johnson, and Charlotte Mason. Douglas Decided to attend Columbia University Teacher’s College in New york city. He received his master of Arts degree in 1944. He death February 2 1979

1 Opportunity Art Folio He was inspired by Greeks and West African paintings. He developed his own unique style. The illustrations in Opportunity Art Folio are Douglas’s Visual expressions of poems written by his friend Langston Hughes, who grew up in Lawrence.

2 The Founding of Chicago This work is a study, or practice painting for one of the mural projects. He painted throughout his career. A mural is a large painting typically painted directly into a wall.

3 Aspects of Negro Life: From Slavery through Reconstruction In this paintings, Douglas called Aspects of Negro Life. He tells the story of how African were brought to America the slave trade and struggled for their freedom.