Lamentation 1944

William H. Johnson created this moving painting, Lamentation, sometime during his career, probably using tempera or a similar matte medium. The thing that gets me about this work is the starkness of the colours. It's like he's stripped everything down to the bare essentials, like the very basic elements of storytelling are all we need. Look at the way he's handled the figures, those raw, almost primitive shapes, and the ochre halos. It's such a direct and honest way of depicting this scene, full of both sorrow and resilience. And then there’s the texture. The paint looks almost chalky, like the earth, clinging to the surface. The faces of the women and the body of Christ on the ground have so much expression. It’s like he’s showing us the very essence of grief. This reminds me a little of some folk art traditions, where the imperfections and the simplicity are what make it so powerful. It's like Johnson is inviting us to feel, to empathize, rather than just observe.