William H. Johnson
Going Outabout 1939
gouache, pen and ink, and pencil
15 x 11 3/8 in., irregular
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation
A mother and daughter, dressed to the nines, are ready for a night on the town. The mother is distinguished by her red beret, bright red lipstick, and high-heeled shoes and the daughter by the bow in her hair, her short, white dress, and two abstracted flowers. Johnson reveals a sense of humor in the flower forms that also suggest two lollipops and two breasts.
