New York in Transit I
Jacob Lawrence
Description
Subject Matter:
This print is based on Lawrence's design for a colorful 36 foot long mosiac mural in the bustling Times Square and 42nd Street subway station in New York City. Subway poles divide the print into sections, giving this print a cinematic feel which would be heightened if a viewer was walking along side the mosaic and watching it go by. Jacob Lawrence is one of a handful of well-known, successful African American artists, and is best known for his Migration of the Negro series of paintings which launched his career. Several panels from the Migration series also feature trains. Lawrence was the first African American artist to be represented by a major commercial gallery. Although he was born in New Jersey, and then lived in Pennsylvania, Lawrence moved to Harlem when he was 13, and the culture of Harlem of the 1930s and 1940s shaped the artist's work.
Physical Description:
In this long horizontally oriented print, we see multiple people of various colors on a subway car; some sit and others stand holding onto subway poles. Windows show various scenes- a plane in the sky, men playing basketball, fish, musicians, and a small group of people walking with a flag.
Usage Rights:
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