Jacob Lawrence. Self-Portrait. 1977.
Jacob Lawrence (September 7, 1917 – June 9, 2000) was a painter known for his portrayal of African-American life. Lawrence referred to his style as “dynamic cubism”. He was influenced by the shapes and colors of Harlem in New York City.
Jacob Lawrence. Panel 1: During World War I there was a great migration north by southern African Americans (1940–41). Phillips Collection.
Lawrence is one of the best-known 20th-century African-American painters. He was 23 years old when he became famous for his 60-panel Migration Series, painted on cardboard. The series depicted the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North.
Click on the picture above to meet Jacob Lawrence at the Whitney.