Joel Elgin, Athraigh Studio.
Printmaking in the Time of COVID-19. A Series of Small
Exhibitions:
“Jacob Lawrence: The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture”
Jacob Lawrence
(1917-2000), is more well known than many of the other printmakers recently featured
by Athraigh Studios. We might know his prints in general but let’s take a
specific look at his brilliant series, the “Toussaint L'Ouverture.”
Content first: Jacob
Lawrence is depicting Toussaint L’Ouverture the mastermind behind the Haitian
Revolution. In the last years of the 1700’s Toussaint L’Ouverture won independence
from Europe, defeated Napoleon’s army, and brought Haiti out of slavery. In
1804, after the people who were then referred to as “slaves” won their freedom
by force, Haiti became the first black republic in the West.
Form: In 1936, at the age
of 21, Jacob Lawrence created 41 paintings of the life of L’Ouverture. In 1986,
Lawrence produced 15 silk screens inspired by the original paintings.
I’ve included only 5
images from the series for today’s presentation but I encourage you two go to
the following link to see the entire series, including a description written by
Lawrence of each print.
General Toussaint L'Ouverture
Silk screen on Bainbridge
two ply rag paper, 1986
The Coachman
Silk screen on Bainbridge
two ply rag paper, 1990
Strategy
Silk screen on Rising two
ply rag paper, 1994
Deception
Silk screen on Rising two
ply rag paper, 1997
To Preserve Their
Freedom
Silk screen on Bainbridge
two ply rag paper, 1988
Want to see the video version of this exhibition?
Stay well and learn
about prints!
