#harlemrenaissance — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

Hotspur🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦 @[email protected] · 2026-06-30 · 00:12 UTC

"Mother and Daughter," Laura Wheeler Waring, 1927.

Waring (1887-1948) was the great portrait artist of the Harlem Renaissance, chronicling many of the major figures of the era. However, in this portrait of two unidentified women, she confronts a social reality.

This is actually a daring painting for the time as it confronts the realities of mixed-race marriages, at the time a highly controversial subject. (Remember, the Supreme Court didn't legalize mixed-race marriage until the 60s.) Here we have the Black mother and the white-presenting daughter, looking very different but also very alike; even their noses are identical.

What's interesting here is how she takes the style of classical Roman portraits (there are similar ones out there), and mixes it with modernist techniques, as well as a modern social sensibility. The two women seem almost like allies, facing the world together. Mother looks determined; daughter perhaps a bit less so, but still, they're there together.

A remarkable painting!

Happy Portrait Monday!

From a private collection.

#Art #LauraWheelerWaring #HarlemRenaissance #BlackHistory #Family #MotherAndDaughter #PortraitMonday

#art #laurawheelerwaring #harlemrenaissance #blackhistory #family #motheranddaughter

Hotspur🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦 @[email protected] · 2026-02-17 · 00:55 UTC

"Girl in a Pink Dress," Laura Wheeler Waring, 1927.

Waring (1887-1948) was THE great portrait artist of the Harlem Renaissance. Her depictions of major figures in Black history make her worthy of study.

Here we have a portrait of an unidentified young Black woman in a stylist 20s dress, with a stylish 20s hairdo. This is a young lady of fashion, very up-to-the-minute.

But also, her youth, the choice of pink for her dress, and the corsage at her shoulder...this hints at blossoming and young vitality. "Here," Wheeler may be saying, "is the future of Black America, just coming into blossom!"

I've talked about Waring before, including her many portraits and her years teaching, so I won't go into her life story. But I just love this portrait of a young, vital, serene woman, waiting to take on the world.

Happy Portrait Monday!

From a private collection.

#Art #LauraWheelerWaring #WomenArtists #WomenInArt #BlackHistoryMonth #PortraitMonday #HarlemRenaissance #YouthInBlossom #FutureOfAmerica

#art #laurawheelerwaring #womenartists #womeninart #blackhistorymonth #portraitmonday

Hotspur🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦 @[email protected] · 2026-01-20 · 01:05 UTC

"Girl in a Green Cap," Laura Wheeler Waring, 1930.

Waring (1887-1948) was THE great portraitist of the Harlem Renaissance, painting many of the notable Black people of the era.

Born in Hartford, CT, the daughter of a minister, her family was educated and cultured, and her ancestors had been part of the Underground Railroad. She attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, graduating in 1914. She traveled briefly in Europe, returning home when WWI started, but returned in the 20s, where she honed her style and exhibited in Paris galleries.

Returning to the US in 1927, she was commissioned to do portraits of figures of the Harlem Renaissance; this project, along with her work teaching at Cheyney University, an HBCU outside Philadelphia, was to consume the rest of her life. Her work is now featured in some of the country's top museums and galleries.

The subject of this portrait is unknown, but her calm confidence and self-assurance, and that knockout outfit, are beyond question.

Happy Portrait Monday!

From the Howard University Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

#Art #LauraWheelerWaring #Portrait #PortraitMonday #HarlemRenaissance #BlackHistory #MLKDay #BelieveInYourself