Scenes of City Life and Country Life

Jitterbugs, about 1940–45 oil on plywood 47.6 x 41.7 cm (18 3/4 x 16 1/2 in.) Gift of the Harmon Foundation

Jitterbugs, about 1943 oil on plywood 61.0 x 39.1 cm (24 x 15 3/8 in.) Gift of the Harmon Foundation

With these paintings of smiling couples dancing the jitterbug, Johnson creates the feeling of movement by using some of the same kinds of things found in jazz, such as repetition, boldness, and rhythm. Johnson painted these scenes of New York City night life at a time when the African-American community was experiencing an exciting explosion of artistic expression-- the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes, a poet and friend of Johnson, was an important member of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes also used motifs and structures from jazz in poems such as Juke Box Love Song.

Compare these two jitterbug paintings. Although the subject matter is very similar, some differences exist in style and composition. Style refers to the characteristics of a work of art, such as brushwork, color, and subject matter. Composition refers to the way the shapes, lines, and colors are combined in the painting. Compare the style and composition of these two paintings. Do you think one painting is more successful than the other in capturing the movement of the dancing couple? Why?

Listen to the type of music that people would have danced to in the 1940s, when Johnson painted these couples. Do the paintings look like the music sounds? Describe how.

Can you do the jitterbug? If not, ask your parents or older relatives if they know how, or research the jitterbug on the World Wide Web. Offer to give dance lessons to your classmates after you find out how do the jitterbug.