The Brown Sisters

1987

Henry Speller

Associated Names
Henry Speller

Artist, American, 1900 - 1997

This is a drawing of two stylized human figures with exaggerated facial and bodily features. The drawing presents two figures side by side with prominent facial expressions made up of geometric shapes. The left figure has bold red outlines and areas filled with red, especially around the torso and lower body, while the right figure is shaded with a combination of pencil lines and orange color. Their faces show vividly illustrated eyes, lips, and teeth in a highly abstract and stylized manner. Both figures stand upright, with dark, curly hair, and red-colored footwear. The coloring technique and stylistic choices suggest an expressive art style.
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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The artist, Memphis, Tennessee; 1988 William S. Arnett, Atlanta, Georgia; 2012 gift to the Souls Grown Deep Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia; 2020 purchased by NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2022

  • Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2022-2023.

Bibliography

2000

  • Arnett, Paul, and William Arnett. Souls Grown Deep: African American Vernacular Art of the South. 2 vols. Atlanta, 2000-2001: vol. 1, p. 402, pl. 444, repro.

Inscriptions

upper right verso in ink: Brown Sisters Henry Speller


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