William H. Johnson, Self-Portrait, ca. 1923-1926, oil on canvas, 29 3⁄4 x 23 3⁄4 in. (75.5 x 60.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.679
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Self-Portrait
- Artist
- Date
- ca. 1923-1926
- Location
- Dimensions
- 29 3⁄4 x 23 3⁄4 in. (75.5 x 60.4 cm.)
- Credit Line
- Gift of the Harmon Foundation
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on canvas
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Portrait male — Johnson, William H. — self-portrait
- Portrait male — Johnson, William H. — waist length
- Occupation — art — printmaker
- African American
- Occupation — art — painter
- Object Number
- 1967.59.679
Artwork Description
This self-portrait reflects William H. Johnson’s training at the National Academy of Design. His painting teacher, Charles Hawthorne, encouraged his students to paint with “spots of color,” using a palette knife instead of a brush (Powell, Homecoming: The Art and Life of William H. Johnson, 1991). Here, patches of red, yellow, and blue pigment lift Johnson’s features out of the background and give his self-portrait the somber dignity that the National Academy fostered in its artists.