Aaron Douglas

From Harlem Renaissance

1 His successes
2 Quotes
3 His art work
4 Where can I find his art work?
5 References
6 Book References

His successes

Aaron Douglas was born in Topeka Kansas May 26, 1898. He then gradguated the Topeka High School in 1917. In 1922 he recieved his B.A degree of art in the University of Nebraska. Aaron Douglas was the first african american to recieve his B.A degree in art at the University of Nebraska. Then in 1923 he recieved the same degree in the University of Kansas. Douglas taught in kansas for a short period of time but then he moved to New York to get his M.F.A degree and peruse his art career. He then migrated to Harlem in 1924 where he studied art with the German artist Winold Reisis. His influence of " African American elements" in his art work was because of Reisis. In 1928-29 he studied in Paris to learn more about traditional french painting styles drawing techniques at the Academy Scandinave. Douglas had made the art department in Fisk University. He then "served as its chair" until 1966.

Quotes

" Our problem is to concieve, develope, establish an art era. Not white art painting black... let's bare our arms and plunge them deeper through laghter, through pain, through sorrow, through hope, through disappiontment, into the very depths of the souls of our people and drag forth material crude, rough, neglected. Then let's sing it, dance it, write it, paint it. Let's do the impossible. Let's create something transcendentallymaterial, mystically objective. Earthy. Spiritually earthy. Dynamic." - Aaron Douglas

His art work

Douglas started his art career by illustrating book covers for african american poets and authors. He had illustrated the book cover for Claude McKay's " A long way from home." Douglas also illustrated the book cover for Langston Hughes's book "Racial Mountain." Douglas had then started making portraits of african american people. He made a mural " Symbolic Negro History" at Fisk University. Douglas had also made a Herriet Tubman mural at the Bennett College. He had also made a mural " Black Magic" at the Sherman Hotel, Chicago.

Aaron Douglas' artwork