Self Portrait

Loïs Mailou Jones, Self Portrait, 1940, casein on board, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of the artist, 2006.24.2
Copied Loïs Mailou Jones, Self Portrait, 1940, casein on board, 17 1214 12 in. (44.536.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of the artist, 2006.24.2

Artwork Details

Title
Self Portrait
Date
1940
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
17 1214 12 in. (44.536.7 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of the artist
Mediums Description
casein on board
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait female — Jones, Lois Mailou
  • Occupation — art — painter
Object Number
2006.24.2

Artwork Description

Jones went to Africa for the first time in 1970, at age sixty-five, but the forms, rhythmic cadences, and vibrant color she associated with the ceremonies of Africa had infused her art since her student years. These influences are apparent in Self Portrait, in which Jones links her identity with traditional African sculpture.


African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond, 2012