Uncle William

Elsie Motz Lowdon, Uncle William, ca. 1927, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Alice L. McGowan, 1984.12.4
Copied 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
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
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — unidentified — Uncle William
  • Figure male — elderly — knee length
  • African American
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.