Marian Anderson 1945

This is William H. Johnson’s painting of Marian Anderson, probably made with oils on canvas. Look at those thick, matte blocks of color! I just want to dive in! I’m thinking about how Johnson starts with a wash of blue, then intuitively builds up the image with these solid, simplified forms. Look at Marian Anderson herself, singing, surrounded by symbols of her international fame—flags and landmarks scattered around her like memories. You can almost feel him layering on the paint, each stroke a building block in a story of recognition and celebration. The whole painting feels like a song, a powerful, visual shout-out to a monumental talent. Johnson’s simplified shapes and bold colors, like those of his fellow painters Horace Pippin or Jacob Lawrence, are not primitive, but rather a direct language. A language where every mark counts, speaking volumes with a child-like approach to the canvas. The essence of a thing! That’s what he captures.