The Harlem Renaissance Artists By: Danny, Gina, Ji Young, Min Sik

Introduction The Harlem Renaissance was an expression of African-American social thought and culture that resulted from the Great Migration. Writers, artists, and musicians began to produce highly original works dealing with African- American life.

Aaron Douglas ( ) He was a Harlem Renaissance artist who best exemplified the ‘New Negro’ philosophy. He painted murals for public buildings and produced illustrations and cover designs for black publications. In 1940, he moved to Tennessee and founded the Art Department at Fisk University. (Spencer Museum of Art)

Douglas’ “Song of The Towers” Douglas depicts three figures each portraying a facet of the black experience: escape of former slavery, economic hardships, and new opportunities art and music offer to blacks. (The New York Times)

Douglas’ “Building More Stately Mansions” This symbolizes the labor of black people in building great monuments. It silhouettes their shapes against idealistic background. (Spencer Museum of Art)

William H. Johnson ( ) Johnson moved to New York at the age of seventeen and received art education at the National Academy of Design. He used both Harlem, South Carolina, and folk style of paintings to show how tradition is linked to change in Harlem. (Smithsonian American Art Museum, Harmon Foundation)

Johnson’s “Café” This affectionate couple has the fashionable flash of zoot-suiters in the big band era. The tangle of the legs and limbs hints at the erotic energy of the night. (Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Johnson’s “Going to Church” Johnson indicates the importance of church in the lives of the African-Americans. He drew this in his personal belief that religion is rooted in church and community. (Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Palmer Hayden ( ) Peyton Cole Hedgeman was given the name Palmer Hayden by his commanding sergeant during WWI. Hayden, an African American painter as well as a used oils and water colors to depict American life. Because he was influenced by African folklore economic hardships, he especially tried to capture both rural life in the South and the urban background of New York City. (Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Hayden’s “Jeunesse” J Hayden depicts the high energy of the dancers and also indicates the importance of jazz music. The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experiences, Oxford University Press

Hayden’s “The Janitor Who Paints” Hayden experienced the economic hardships of many black artists. This has often been interpreted as both a self portrait and a statement on an adversity. (Cartography Associates)

Archibald John Motley Jr. ( ) He is known for his colorful chronicling of the African- American experience during the 1920s- 30s. Motley spent most of his life in Chicago and never lived in Harlem. His family was the only black family in an all white European neighborhood. (The Encyclopedia of Chicago, Chicago Historical Society)

“Old Snuff Dipper” Motley depicts a working class southern woman. This illustrates the realistic style Motley employed during the early years of his career. (African American Art and Artists, Samella S. Lewis)

“Black Belt” This painting depicts the African American night life in Chicago, Bronzeville. (African American Art and Artists, Samella S. Lewis)

Jacob Lawrence ( ) Lawrence experienced the vibrancy of black intellectual, cultural, and artistic life when moved to Harlem. He is both an artist and an educator who used his art to tell stories about black history. (Whitney Museum of American Art)

“Dreams No.2” This painting was inspired by the women in his Harlem neighborhood. The girl’s fantasies are seen through the window. (Smithsonian American Art Museum, Sara Roby Foundation)

“Confrontation at the Bridge” This artwork portrays the problems many African-Americans came across during the Great Migration. (Smithsonian American Art Museum, Sara Roby Foundation)

Louis Mailou Jones ( ) Teacher, book illustrator, and textile designer, Jones received inspiration from African themes for her art pieces. She was also married to a prominent Haitian artist, Louis Vergniaud Pierre-Noel. (The New York Times)

Jones’ “The Green Apples” Considered one of her favorite Paris paintings. Although very simple, this artwork exhibits the “true feeling of Paris”. (The New York Times)

Jones’ “Water Carrier” Jones depicts Haitian children carrying water. This also shows how Haiti influenced her drawings. (The New York Times)

In a Nutshell… Many Harlem Renaissance artists portrayed the great difficulties many African-Americans faced during their transition from the south to the north.

Bibliography University of Kansas. Spencer Museum of Art. “Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist.” 2 December Online. Ken Johnson. “Black in America, Painted Euphoric and Heroic.” New York Times. 11 September Online. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Harlem Foundation. “Café” Online. The Encyclopedia of Chicago, Chicago Historical Society. “Archibald Motley Junior”. Jontyle Theresa Robinson. Chicago, Illinois Print. African American Art and Artists, Samella S. Lewis Print. Whitney Museum of American Art. “Jacob Lawrence.” 5 April Online. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Sara Roby Foundation. “Jacob Lawrence.” 8 May Online. Holland Cotter. “Louis Mailou Jones, 92, Painter and Teacher.” 13 June Online. mailou-jones-92-painter-and-teacher.html?pagewanted=1http:// mailou-jones-92-painter-and-teacher.html?pagewanted=1