Uncle William

Elsie Motz Lowdon, Uncle William, ca. 1927, watercolor on ivory, sight 3 ³⁄₈ x 4 ¹⁄₂ in. (8.6 x 11.4 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Alice L. McGowan, 1984.12.4

Artwork Details

Title: Uncle William
Artist: Elsie Motz Lowdon
Date: ca. 1927
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: sight 3 ³⁄₈ x 4 ¹⁄₂ in. (8.6 x 11.4 cm) oval
Credit Line: Gift of Alice L. McGowan
Mediums: watercolor
Mediums Description: watercolor on ivory
Classifications: Painting
Miniature
Subjects: African American
Figure male — elderly — knee length
Portrait male — unidentified — Uncle William
Object Number: 1984.12.4
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1984.12.4

Artwork Description

William had worked for the Lowdon family for decades, and when this was painted, he was said to be 104 years old. During the 1920s and 1930s, Elsie Lowdon exhibited this popular work in Dallas, Abilene, Houston, Atlanta, and Worcester, Massachusetts. In each case, reviewers noted how real the man’s eyes and aged skin appeared, a sentiment echoed by William himself.