Escape

Jacob Lawrence, Escape, 1967, brush and ink, pen and ink, crayon, and pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.53
Jacob Lawrence, Escape, 1967, brush and ink, pen and ink, crayon, and pencil on paper, sheet: 2229 12 in. (56.074.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.53

Artwork Details

Title
Escape
Date
1967
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sheet: 2229 12 in. (56.074.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation
Mediums Description
brush and ink, pen and ink, crayon, and pencil on paper
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Fantasy
  • Animal — reptile — snake
  • Allegory — civic — liberty
Object Number
1986.6.53

Artwork Description

“My work is abstract in the sense of having been designed and composed, but it is not abstract in the sense of having no human contact. I want to communicate. I want the idea to strike right away.” ---Jacob Lawrence

Escape is a preliminary study for Through Forests, Through Rivers, Up Mountains, Lawrence’s tribute to Harriet Tubman, who, after her own escape from slavery, helped others negotiate the journey to the northern states and Canada. Communicating his idea forcefully, Lawrence depicted Tubman schematically; her hands are large as they urge fleeing families to move forward.


Modern American Realism: The Sara Roby Foundation Collection, 2014

Works by this artist (231 items)

Sean Scully, Maesta, 1983, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2004.1A-C, © 1983, Sean Scully
Maesta
Date1983
oil on canvas
On view
Sean Scully, Pomes Penyeach (by James Joyce), 1993, book, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 2001.79.44.1-13, © 1993, Sean Scully
Pomes Penyeach (by James Joyce)
Date1993
book
Not on view
Sean Scully, Wall of Light Orange, 2000, aquatint on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 2001.79.79, © 2000, Sean Scully
Wall of Light Orange
Date2000
aquatint on paper
Not on view
Sean Scully, Block, 1986, woodcut on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 2001.79.15, © 1986, Sean Scully
Block
Date1986
woodcut on paper
Not on view

Exhibitions

Media - 1986.6.100 - SAAM-1986.6.100_2 - 135134
Modern American Realism: Highlights from the Sara Roby Foundation Collection
This exhibition presents some of the most treasured paintings and sculpture from SAAM’s permanent collection, including artworks by Will Barnet, Isabel Bishop, Paul Cadmus, Edward Hopper, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Jacob Lawrence, George Tooker, among others.

More Artworks from the Collection

Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
City is Man
Date1941-1952
linocut
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Untitled
Date1976
embossed paper
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Mandala, 1977, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.19, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Mandala
Date1977
lithograph
Not on view
Les Quais de la Seine a Paris
Date1917
hand-colored etching on postcard
Not on view