The Anacostia Community Museum will be closed from January 8, 2024-March 22, 2024. We will reopen on Saturday, March 23, 2024 with our next exhibition, A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC,1900-2000. We hope you will join us! 

Untitled

Object Details

Artist
James Lesesne Wells
Date
mid 20th Century
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
Frame: 22 3/16 × 26 1/4 × 1 5/16 in. (56.4 × 66.6 × 3.4 cm)
Cite As
Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Dr. Charles Warfield and Mrs. Savanna Clark)
Caption
Artist James Lesesne Wells taught art at Howard University for nearly forty years, his career spanning the Great Depression, World War II, and the civil rights movement. Best known for his paintings and innovative prints, Wells’s work often focused on the experiences of African Americans and workers of all ethnic identities. In this small village scene, Wells depicts three women walking down a dirt road towards a row of houses. Like his prints, this work features strong lines and bold geometric shapes. Notice the roughly rectangular road, lawns, and waterway, as well as the bold delineation of the structures and trees in the distance. Two boats with red sails hint at the town’s reliance on fishing or trade, suggesting a narrative for the women’s travels.
Accession Number
2019.1.5
Type
painting
See more items in
Anacostia Community Museum Collection
Data Source
Anacostia Community Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dl8a28bf7a2-f505-4acf-9a82-7826750d0c3c
Record ID
acm_2019.1.5
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