Portrait of the Black Madonna

Image Not Available
Copied Benny Andrews, Portrait of the Black Madonna, 1987, oil and collage on canvas, 3648 in. (91.4121.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Andrews Humphrey Family Foundation, 2012.3.2

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of the Black Madonna
Date
1987
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
3648 in. (91.4121.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the Andrews Humphrey Family Foundation
Mediums Description
oil and collage on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Still life — flower
  • African American
  • Figure female — waist length
Object Number
2012.3.2

Artwork Description

Portrait of Black Madonna seems to be a straightforward image of a woman. Her arms, the shawl around her shoulders, and the flowers are formed of pieces of painted cloth. The spout of the coffee pot is three-dimensional -- Andrews worked a scrap of fabric around a piece of wood. Just above it, a zipper confirms that the fabric was cut from a discarded item of clothing. The collaged elements -- which by the late 1980s were a hallmark of Andrews's work -- give dimension and tactile reality to the canvas. Portrait of Black Madonna is not only a picture of a woman and the joy and responsibility associated with motherhood; it also honors the strength and resiliency of women throughout the world.


African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond, 2012

Gallery Label
Andrews used painted cloth to create the arms, shawl, and flowers in Portrait of Black Madonna. The spout of the coffee pot is three-dimensional - he worked a scrap of fabric around a piece of wood to make it. Just above, a zipper confirms that the fabric was cut from a discarded item of clothing. These collaged elements - which by the late 1980s were a hallmark of Andrews's work - give dimension and tactile reality to the canvas. Portrait of Black Madonna is a picture of the joy and responsibility associated with motherhood; it also honors the strength and resiliency of women throughout the world.