“BARBEQUE” by Archibald Motley Jr.
INTRODUCTION TO
THE LIFE OF ARCHIBALD
MOTLEY JR
Archibald Motley Jr. was
born on October 7, 1871 in
New Orleans, La. At the age
of two, he moved with his
family to Chicago. Raised by
an affluent family, Archibald
was always interested in art.
After graduating from high
school, he continued his art
training at the Chicago
Institute of Art. Due to his
race, he had a hard time
finding work.
In 1924, his first
painting, of his
grandmother, (a
former slave) entitled
Mending Socks gained
public praise. In 1928,
Motley had his first
solo exhibit in New
York City, where
nearly every painting
displayed was sold.
Motley was one of the
first African American
Artists to have a
gallery show.
Archibald Motley won a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1928 which
allowed him to travel to Paris.
PARIS
The time Motley spent in
Paris influenced him to
paint black nightlife when
he returned to Chicago.
Although he never lived
in Harlem, his depiction
of contemporary African
American social life
identified him with the
Harlem Renaissance.
Archibald Motley Jr. 1943
“Nightlife” Oil on canvas
Archibald Motley Jr.
specialized in painting
African Americans enjoying
the nightlife. He used a
modern technique to capture
his scenes. The people in
“Barbeque” do not have
distinct features. Motley
makes the painting’s main
idea black people who were
like everyone else, moving on
and enjoying life. One does
not get a sense of oppression,
but then realizes that there are
no white people in the
painting, either.Without
discrimination,
these black Americans are
free to enjoy life like
everyone else in America.
“Barbeque” Oil on canvas 1934
The Harlem Renaissance
Started in 1919, the Harlem
Renaissance was a time when
African Americans produced
an amazing amount of art,
literature and music. The
movement was based
primarily in Harlem, New
York City. It ended during the
early to mid nineteen-thirties.
This group of African
Americans were out to
challenge stereotypes, while
creating memorable art and
literature.
“Barbeque” is full of life. This look is achieved by using rhythm and repetition, with the
repeating purple-tinged tablecloths and the black suits on the men. This painting has a
“full of motion” look to it. “Barbeque”, although not perfectly symmetrically balanced,
appears visually balanced by the strategic placement of the color yellow, which balances
the black suits.
Being that yellow, red and blue paints are primarily used, I would
say the color scheme is primary, with a lot of black. In the
background of the painting, there is an interesting string of double
lights. Motley had an interest in how figures look under artificial
light. The light seems to be coming from behind the figures,
emphasizing their shape. Motley put his “signature blue” in
almost every painting he painted.
Motley showed black people as they were; fun-loving, laughing, and
unpretentious. Motley explained that “In order to study them (African
Americans in Chicago) I made a habit to go to places where they gathered a lot,
like churches, movie houses, dance halls, skating rinks, sporting houses,
sometimes not only sporting houses, but gambling houses.” (qtd. in Oral History
Interview). The “Bronzeville Series” is the collection of local scenes Motley
painted of the Bronzeville section of Chicago.
Oil on Canvas
“BLUES” 1929
More paintings from the “Bronzeville” Series………..
Archibald Motley Jr.
“Saturday Night”
1935
Archibald Motley Jr.
“The Jazz Singers” 1934
Oil on canvas
Cocktails, c. 1926,
Archibald Motley, Jr.
(1891-1981), oil on canvas
32 x 40 inches, John P.
Axelrod, Boston, Mass.
Copyright Archie Motley
These ladies look very refined to
me! How lovely!
“Barbeque” is an important work of art for the world at large. Not only because of
the visual appeal, but because of what Archibald Motley’s paintings represent. He
was the second African American to have a private art show, paving the way for
aspiring black artists. He painted in his own modern style, and chose African
Americans for his subjects. He said; "For years many artists have depicted the
Negro as the ignorant Southern 'darky,' to be portrayed on canvas as something
humorous; an old Southern black Negro gulping a large piece of watermelon; one
with a banjo on his knee; possibly a 'crapshooter' or a cotton picker or a chicken
thief. This material is obsolete, and I sincerely hope with the progress the Negro
has made, he is deserving to be represented in his true perspective, with dignity,
honesty, integrity, intelligence and understanding." (Otfinoski)
Although Archibald Motley Jr. was criticized during the 1960s for
not doing more to reflect the troubled Civil Rights and Black Power
struggle, he was finally recognized for the pioneer he was. In 1980,
he was one of ten African American artists honored at the White
House by President Jimmy Carter. He died in 1981, and ten years
later his son, Archibald J. Motley III, a curator at the Chicago
Historical Society, mounted a centennial exhibit of his father’s
works that included more than one hundred “lost” paintings that he
had recovered. Archibald Motley Jr. will be remembered as a
pioneer of the Harlem Renaissance.
One final quote I would like to share that pretty much sums
up Archibald Motley’s view on his own style, along with that
of his fellow African-American artists; “What a pity so many
of our artists going for pretty landscapes and pictures which
have no such bearing whatsoever on our group. The Negro
poet portrays our group in poems, the Negro musician
portrays our group in jazz, the Negro actor portrays our
group. All of these aforementioned portrayals are serious,
original interpretations of the Negro. There is nothing
borrowed, nothing copied, just an unraveling of the Negro
soul . So why should the Negro painter, the Negro sculpture
mimic that which the white man is doing, when he has such
an enormous colossal field practically all his own; portraying
his own people, historically, dramatically, hilariously, but
honestly. And who knows the Negro Race, Negro Soul, the
Negro Heart, better than himself?” (Patten)
Thank you for watching my slide-show on Archibald
Motley Jr. I sincerely hope you learned something
new about this vibrant artist that paved the way for
African-American artists in the 20th century.
Maria Geiger