Series : "Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin Painted by Two Women Artists"
| Title: | "Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin Painted by Two Women Artists" |
| Creating Organization: | Harmon Foundation. |
| Organization Creator Type: | Most Recent |
| Arrangement: | Arranged by medium (photographs and photomechanical reproductions), and thereunder alphabetically by the surname of the individual portrayed. |
| Scope and Content Note: | This series is a collection of black-and-white and color photographs of aset of oil paintings "Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin"commissioned by the Harmon Foundation. The set originally comprised 22portraits painted by Betsy Graves Reyneau and Laura Wheeler Waring. Overtime thenumber of paintings increased to 47. The paintings were first shown in May 1944 at a Smithsonian Institution exhibit. Because of the interest generated by the exhibition, a decision was made toshow the paintings throughout the United States. For several years thepaintings were exhibited in museums, art galleries and public buildings aroundthe country. The majority of the paintings in the set were by Reyneau, inasmuchas Waring died in 1948 after having completed a only a handful of portraits.During an interview in 1950, Reyneau said that she considered the exhibition ofthe portraits a "visual education project" and hoped that in viewing thepaintings "many persons can be made to realize the outstanding contributionsNegroes have made to the life of the nation." The original set of 22 paintings are represented in a collection ofphotogravures in box 3 (DM-HNP-101 through 122). Photographs of all 47(DM-HNP-1 through 47) are in boxes 1 and 2. Betsy Graves Reyneau (1888-1964) studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Artsshortly before World War I. She continued her studies in Cincinnati, Ohio;Paris, France and Rome, Italy. Following her studies, Reyneau maintained astudio in Detroit, MI for a number of years. Then in 1927, she movedpermanently to Europe, only to leave 12 years later due to the rise of fascism. Returning to the United States, Reyneau was shocked by the overt racism thatexisted in the 1930's. She decided that by using her skills as a portraitpainter she could do something that would make a difference in the country'sperception of African Americans. Reyneau's determination eventually resulted ina set of portraits commissioned by the Harmon Foundation. The individualschosen were prominent African-Americans who had distinguished themselves bytheir service to humankind. Initially Reyneau was the only artist commissioned,but as the number of potential sitters grew, Laura Wheeler Waring was asked tojoin the project. It was Reyneau's paintings of two subjects that led to the commissioning of theseries of paintings. While in Florida, Reyneau painted a portrait of EdwardLee, a gardener (DM-HNP-29). The painting is said to have impressed GeorgeWashington Carver, the noted scientist, so favorably that he agreed to sit forReyneau. Reyneau's portrait (DM-HNP-13A) was the last painting done of Carverand was completed just ten days prior to his death in 1943. Shortly thereafterReyneau, newly commissioned by the foundation, traveled to Howard University inWashington, DC, and stayed five months painting noted educators and otherdistinguished individuals. Among that group of sitters were Charles HamiltonHouston (DM-HNP-22), Mordecai W. Johnson (DM-HNP-25) and Alain Locke(DM-HNP-30). Reyneau painted two portraits of the surgeon, Dr. Charles Drew. One year beforehis death in 1950, she painted Drew standing with a test tube in one hand(DM-HNP-15A). The second portrait, of Dr. Drew seated, was painted posthumously(DM-HNP-15B). The portrait of educator Mary McLeod Bethune (DM-HNP-6) took Reyneau the longestto paint as she sought to capture Bethune's "vibrant personality." Herpainting of statesman, Dr. Ralph Bunche also took several weeks to paint duringwhich time Reyneau said, she was "constantly tripping over diplomats". Alsoamong the notables painted by Reyneau was actor Paul Robeson, in the role ofOthello. The portrait was painted in 1945 at the height of Robeson's career;however, his political views later caused some art patrons in 1950 to protestthe inclusion of his portrait (DM-HNP-37) in the touring exhibit. The other individuals portrayed are: Marian Anderson, Claude Barnett, RichmondBarthe, Jane M. Bolin, Arno Bontemps, Harry T. Burleigh, Capt. William Campbell,Elmer Carter, Aaron Douglas, Lester Granger, William Hastie, Ann ArnoldHedgeman, Dr. Charles S. Johnson, Eugene Kinckle Jones, John Andrew Kenney, Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Theodore Lawless, Warren Logan, Joe (Barrow)Louis, Thurgood Marshall, Lt. Col. Mary Mills, Capt. Hugh Mulzac, Dr. FrederickPatterson, A. Philip Randolph, Edith Spurlock Sampson, Dr. Ruth Temple, MaryChurch Terrell, Howard Thurman, Channing H. Tobias, Walter White, Helen A.Whiting, Paul Williams, and Monroe Nathan Work. Laura Wheeler Waring (1887-1948) was a portrait painter, illustrator, and aneducator who received her first training at the Pennsylvania Academy of FineArts. She continued her education at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere inParis, France. Upon completion of her studies, Waring returned to the UnitedStates as an art instructor at Cheyney State Teachers College in Pennsylvania.She later became head of the art department at the college. Waring's reputationas an artists grew rapidly and her work received greater recognition. In 1926she served as an official in charge of the Negro Art section of theSesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia. In 1927, Waring received theHarmon Awards for Distinguished Achievement Among Negroes for her work in finearts. She was the only woman to have received the highest Harmon award.Waring's work was exhibited at the Harmon Foundation from 1927 to 1928 and from1930 to 1931. Her oils, watercolors and pastels were also exhibited at thePennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Corcoran Gallery, the Brooklyn Museum,and the Smithsonian. Waring, unlike Reyneau in her later period, was not a painter of racial themes.She brought to the project, however, considerable expertise as a portraitist.But unfortunately, Waring was able to complete only six paintings before herdeath in 1948. Two other portraits painted by her prior to the commission werelater added to the set. The Waring portraits are of Judge Raymond Alexander(DM-HNP-1), lawyer Sadie Alexander (DM-HNP-2), opera singer Marian Anderson(DM-HNP-3A), musician Harry T. Burleigh (DM-HNP-10), educator W.E.B. DuBois(DM-HNP-16), author Jessie Redmon Fauset (DM-HNP-17), sociologist George T.Haynes (DM-HNP-20), author, and educator James Weldon Johnson (DM-HNP-24), andphysician Dr. John P. Turner (DM-HNP-43). The portraits of DuBois, Fauset andJohnson are considered to be among Waring's finest work. For additionalinformation the careers of Reyneau and Waring, see copies of news clippings inbox one. In addition to the above individuals, two black-and-white photographs of BookerT. Washington, are included in the collection.For several individuals one or more different views exists. For almost all apainting is shown framed, without a frame or displayed on an easel. Care shouldbe taken, therefore in selecting and identifying images for reproduction. The photographs are reproductions of photographs held by Hampton University.For additional information about the photographs, contact The UniversityArchives, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668. |
| Inclusive Start Date: | 1922 |
| Inclusive Start Date Qualifier: | ca. |
| Inclusive End Date: | 1963 |
| Inclusive End Date Qualifier: | ca. |
| Coverage Start Date: | 1941 |
| Coverage End Date: | 1963 |
| Coverage End Date Qualifier: | ca. |
| Access Restriction Status: | Unrestricted |
| Use Restriction Status: | Restricted - Possibly |
| Specific Use Restriction: | Copyright |
| Use Restriction Note: | Some or all of this material may be restricted by copright or other intellectual property right restrictions. |
| Collection Identifier: | H |
|
Back to: