Singing Saints

1940

Sargent Claude Johnson

Associated Names
Sargent Claude Johnson

Artist, American, 1888 - 1967

The image features two figures sitting side by side. Both are shown from head to mid-thigh in a front-facing position, with their bodies slightly turned towards each other. The figures have minimalistic and stylized facial features, closed eyes, and open mouths as if singing. The figure on the left has smooth hair, while the figure on the right has short curly hair. They are dressed in simple clothing. The left figure wears a long sleeve top with a textured cuff, and the right figure's garment drapes loosely. A large stringed musical instrument is positioned across their laps, and each figure holds onto it, with the strings extending upwards. The background is plain, with a lightly shaded area suggesting a wall, floor, or another corner behind them. The lighting and shading are subtle, contributing to a calm and still atmosphere.
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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, San Francisco, California; Thurlow Evans Tibbs, Jr., Washington, DC; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1996; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1999

  • Celebrating the Legacy: African American Art from the Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1999

2003

  • Black is a Color: African American Art at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, Ohio; Mobile Museum of Art, Alabama; Plains Art Museum, Fargo, North Dakota, 2003-2007

2007

  • Impressionism, Realism, Modernism: Works on Paper from the American Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2007

Inscriptions

lower left in graphite: Singing Saints 105/180; lower right in graphite: Sargent Johnson; lower left edge in graphite by unknown hand: Sargent Johnson; lower right edge in graphite by unknown hand: 400422 dark / 51 NO / 7

Markings

stamped lower left verso in black ink: Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts; stamped lower left verso in brown ink: Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts Duplicate

Watermarks

WARREN'S / OLDE STYLE

Wikidata ID

Q77015270

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