Early Modern Exhibit: The Influence of African Americans
The Early Modern era marked a significant shift in artistic expression as the world emerged from the Victorian age into modernity. One of the most profound influences on the arts during this time came from African American culture—shaped by a legacy of oppression, resilience, and creativity. From the Harlem Renaissance to jazz, this era saw a flourishing of Black voices in visual art, literature, and music. This exhibit explores three influential works by African American artists whose contributions helped redefine the cultural landscape of the early 20th century.
🎨 1. Ascent of Ethiopia by Lois Mailou Jones (1932, United States)
Lois Mailou Jones’ Ascent of Ethiopia is a vibrant, symbolic piece reflecting the cultural awakening of African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance. Created in 1932, this painting celebrates the journey of African Americans from Africa to America and into a future full of creative promise. The use of bold colors and overlapping figures shows a strong African influence blended with Art Deco stylings.
Connection to African American Influence:
Jones was deeply inspired by African heritage, and this piece encapsulates the pride and cultural identity promoted during the Harlem Renaissance. It directly illustrates the impact of African traditions on modern art and how Black artists reclaimed their narratives through visual expression.
Aesthetic Reaction:
The composition feels alive—the movement from bottom left to top right suggests a rise, a collective reaching toward greatness. The sun-like circle and African mask motifs evoke mystery and hope. The contrast of dark silhouettes against radiant color struck me as powerful—it communicates determination and beauty with stunning clarity.
🎠2. The Banjo Lesson by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1893, painted in Philadelphia, PA)
Though painted just before the start of the Early Modern era, *The Banjo Lesson* by Henry Ossawa Tanner remained influential during the Harlem Renaissance and was celebrated again in the 1920s–30s. Tanner, the first internationally acclaimed African American painter, uses quiet realism to depict a young boy and elder sharing a musical moment.
Connection to African American Influence:
This painting elevates an intimate, everyday Black experience—a generational moment of cultural transmission. Music, specifically the banjo (rooted in African instruments), symbolizes the endurance of African American traditions despite oppression. Tanner’s refined style broke stereotypes and inspired generations of Black artists seeking dignity and representation in their work.
Aesthetic Reaction:
The soft lighting and warm earth tones evoke a feeling of calm and reverence. I love the tenderness here—there’s a solemn respect in the way the boy looks at his grandfather. It’s a quiet revolution: art that humanizes and honors instead of exoticizing.
🎷 3. Jazz by Romare Bearden (circa 1938, Harlem, NY)
Romare Bearden was a multifaceted artist influenced by jazz and the Harlem cultural explosion. His 1938 collage-style works, like Jazz, captured the rhythm and improvisation of African American music. Though better known for later collages, his early pieces already reflected the syncopated energy of Black life in the city.
Connection to African American Influence:
Jazz became a dominant cultural force in the Early Modern era, and Bearden translated its spontaneity into visual form. His work paralleled the musical innovation of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, using collage and abstraction to express freedom, motion, and cultural pride.
Aesthetic Reaction:
This piece makes you feel sound. Jagged lines, repeated curves, and layered color echo the spontaneity of jazz. There’s a kinetic quality to it—it doesn't sit still. It celebrates the chaos and beauty of a uniquely African American art form taking center stage in American modernism.
📚 Sources:
1. Powell, Richard J. Black Art: A Cultural History. Thames & Hudson, 2002.
https://richardjpowell.com/book/black-art-a-cultural-history/
2. "Lois Mailou Jones Biography." National Museum of Women in the Arts. https://nmwa.org/art/artists/lois-mailou-jones/
3. Extra website that I viewed:
https://www.askart.com/artist/Lois_Mailou_Jones/85672/Lois_Mailou_Jones.aspx
These were some really interesting selections. I especially love the colorfulness of the pieces titled "Jazz". A key element from this era would be the more abstract designs that stray away from traditional artistic expectations. Music is also becoming more intertwined with other types of art, such as paintings, especially in African American influenced art. This is largely due to the huge cultural role and popularity of Jazz. I was a bit surprised to see that "The Banjo Lesson": had such a dark color scheme, since these darker colors remind me most of the art during and following World War 1.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! You do such a great job of describing the pieces, and the extra ties to African American inspiration are a great touch. I did my blog on Tanner as well! Something I love is his sincere style. It paints everyday experiences as calm and tender, but unlike artists who'd usually try to use an abundance of warmth throughout their piece to symbolize the "warm" feeling of the scene, he focuses on a "quieter" approach, using dull colors that have you focus on the calm feeling of it all. It's intimate in a quiet way, which is something I greatly appreciate. Even the warmth in the piece is used primarily as just extra lighting, rather than the whole palette. It paints the everyday black experience as something... Normal, in a sweet way. On the other spectrum I love the Jazz painting! It's so bright, poppy, and colorful. It reminds me of vintage comic book art, the way the colors pop out of the page and give a vibrant sense of energy. I love how it captures the music, and gives that "jazzy" feeling to me. It's amazing how art by black artists captured both the quiet and everyday sides of life, but the colorful, fun, and vibrant parts, too.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your picks for depicting the rise and spread of African American culture into a 2-d form where I feel like a majority of it was advancing much more heavily musically. I specifically enjoyed The Banjo Lesson the most of the paintings chosen and I believe that it is due to mr. Tanner use of a realism format that he blends together with the water colors to add a distortion onto the painting. The painting itself looks amazingly real, especially with the wood being so well done, but it is the distortion element that brings a more classical music element to it that I don't really know how to describe correctly. The other pieces you picked were good as well and i liked the collection on the bottom as well as they fit in so well with the liveliness of jazz music. I think it is my appreciation for realism that makes The Banjo Lesson stand out much more than they do however.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the use of bold and solid colors presented throughout Jazz by Romare Bearden! You can tell the influence African sculpture and cubism have on his collages; the clear forms and symbolic representations through color and shape almost feel like he’s illustrating sound through art. It’s also interesting to note how Pablo Picasso’s style influenced Romare Bearden’s work. While they did not have any personal relations, both artists were inspired by African sculpture and integrated it into their artwork! The Harlem Renaissance was a great choice for the influence of African Americans. I feel like I would have also added how important the Harlem Renaissance would eventually become for the Civil Rights Movement to add something interesting, but it's a good post overall. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDelete