Harlem Renaissance Art

African American expression is a vital piece of American art history. The Harlem Renaissance was a chance for Black people to share their experiences with the world. From the abstract works of Aaron Douglas to the African-inspired sculptures of Meta Warrick, each piece was unique and evocative. Black art in the Renaissance continues to inspire countless artists. Let's examine this rich and beautiful piece of history!

Harlem Renaissance Art Movement

Before we explore the artists and art pieces of the Harlem Renaissance, let's look at the backdrop of the art movement, the Harlem Renaissance. Beginning in 1916, African Americans migrated from the South to the North. The South was a very dangerous place for African Americans to live. African Americans were attacked, denied their right to vote, dealt with Jim Crow laws, and had fewer opportunities.

African Americans moved from the South into segregated communities. One such community was Harlem. The Harlem Renaissance took place across different disciplines, which means that there were artists, poets, philosophers, and more!

Fig. 1- Song of the Towers by Aaron Douglas

The Harlem Renaissance began in the 1920s and ended in the 1930s. This time period is characterized as a movement centered around Black excellence and Black culture. African Americans showed pride in their race by creating art, music, scholarly articles, and works of fiction. African Americans were given more commissions by prominent African Americans within the community as well as people who wanted to acknowledge the movement.

Harlem Renaissance Art Definition

Harlem Renaissance Art was created by Black people during the 1920s and 1930s with the goal of finding an African American style of art. They also wanted to show the potential of the African American race through art.

Harlem Renaissance Art Styles

During the Harlem Renaissance young African Americans tried and mastered different forms of art. There were printmakers, painters, sculptors, photographers, and more. Many of them wanted to combat negative stereotypes of Black people by showing their potential through art. Sometimes artists presented African Americans living in heightened elegance while others realistically depicted the community.

The art of this period was avant-garde and experimental. Artists wanted to show pride in their race, acknowledge the injustices that they faced, and explore the new and changing world that they lived in. Many artists took inspiration from Africa, specifically Egypt, as a way of tracing their cultural heritage.

• The goal was to show the potential of Black people through art
• The art movement was avant-garde
• Artists showed pride in their race, acknowledged injustices, and explored the changing world

Harlem Renaissance Art Pieces

Let's look at some pieces from this movement for a better understanding. We'll look at a piece, its cultural significance, meaning, and artist.

James Van Der Zee

James Van Der Zee was a photographer and is sometimes called the "Chronicler of the Harlem Renaissance". Der Zee photographed African Americans in heightened elegance, if the subject of his photos didn't have fancy clothes, then he would lend them some. He also realistically captured African Americans in community places like churches, barbershops, and Harlem in general.

Fig. 2- Do Tell James Van Der Zee

Der Zee captured photos of famous renaissance figures like W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey. Photographs like Do Tell were meant to capture Black people in an elevated state of elegance. Some critiques felt that this idealized representation of the community was negative, but Der Zee disagreed. His artwork is still highly sought after to this day!

Meta Warrick Fuller

According to some historians, Meta Warrick Fuller was the most important African American female sculptor. Fuller's sculptor Ethiopia was the first pan-African art piece. She drew inspiration from Egyptian statues and incorporated that into her artwork. Many of her pieces depicted tangled human bodies thus earning her the nickname "sculptor of horrors" in Paris.

Fig. 3- Ethiopia Meta Warrick Fuller

While Alaine Leroy Locke stated that the piece was called Ethiopia Awakening and was about the awakening of the Black person symbolized in the untying of the mummy's wraps, this is untrue. The piece was titled Ethiopia and most likely was about Fuller's understanding of herself as a woman. Fuller's pieces are not well recognized today but her influence on African American art is undeniable.

Augusta Savage

Another sculptor, Augusta Savage left her mark on the world. She founded her own studios, was the first African American member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, and she assisted in the creation of the Harlem Art Center. This center was such a success that first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt used it as the blueprint for centers across America!

Fig. 4- Gamin by Augusta Savage

Gamin was one of Savage's most popular pieces and she reproduced it many times. The bust is of a boy, believed to be her nephew. It has won many awards and is currently displayed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum!

James Lesesne Wells

A talented artist and educator, James Lesesne Wells was a graphic artist. Wells is primarily remembered for his prints. He told the African American experience through sharp, but delicate line work. The below piece is called Builders and is about African American workers. The main figure's silhouette is a reminiscence of Egyptian Art. Wells was a professor at Howard University and continued to make art throughout his life.

Fig. 5- Builders by James Lesesne Wells

Aaron Douglas

Aaron Douglas, "Father of African American Art," was a painter who, like Fuller, took inspiration from Egyptian art. He used shapes, silhouettes, and limited color palates to convey mood and motion. His modern art was also inspired by cubism. Douglas used Aspiration to tell the story of African Americans from Africa to the New World.

Fig. 6- Aspirations Aaron Douglas

The above piece is called Aspirations and it tells the story of Africans arriving in America. At the bottom we can see hands with chains around them. They represent the people who died during the voyage and the waves of the ocean. The woman on the pillar represents the knowledge that came from Egypt. By her side is two men standing, they look towards the future and want to excel through knowledge and education. The future is represented by a bright and glowing city on the hill.

There are two theories about the star near the woman's face. One theory is that it represented the Lone Star of Texas, this piece was displayed in a Texas exhibit in 1936. The other theory is that it represents the North Star. Enslaved people who had escaped would use this star to guide them to safety in the North.

Harlem Renaissance Art Facts

The artists of the Harlem Renaissance wanted to reclaim the narrative of Black people and show what life was really like. Through their art, these artists showed the result of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and racially motivated hate crimes. They also showed Black excellence and Black pride.

This movement was very important for modern art because it gave opportunities to Black artists. These artists inspired and mentored the next generation of artists. If not for this movement, modern art would be drastically different today.