The Father of Black Art
The seven sermons were inspired by memories of sermons by black preachers heard by the author James Weldon Johnson while growing up. This book includes seven illustrations by Aaron Douglas, a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance as a painter, illustrator and arts educator. It is a simple bind book that has black lettering on the cover in the style of Old English and a cork texture on the cover.
The painting depicts the Old Testament story about God’s order to Moses to lead the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. Symbolizing God’s command, light gives off a yellow tone when radiating down and enveloping the figure of Moses. There are purple hues that encompass the human and horse figures in the painting. The only figure that doesn't seem to be in chaos is Moses.
The illustration on display introduces The Prodigal Son sermon with modern imagery of money, gambling, dancing and music. Douglas uses his signature art style of Cubism. To illustrate money and gambling, there are playing cards around the outlines with the corner edge of a dollar bill protruding out. Dancing and music is portrayed within the trombones and happy figures that seem to be in movement.
The Judgment Day is the final painting in the series of translations from the original illustrations in the book. At the center, there is a huge figure with wings standing heroically with a trumpet in hand. This figure represents the powerful black archangel Gabriel, as he stands between earth and sea. The use of blue and yellow tones is cleverly placed to create these distinguishing lines. The other smaller purple figures are both praising and trembling beneath Gabriel as he is summoning both the living and the dead to judgment.
Although this wasn’t Douglas’s very first mural he painted, this is his best known one. This 1934 work was installed in the 135th Street branch of the New York Public Library, now known as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. It represents his enduring legacy. There is a powerful bright yellow orb radiating within the main figures hand as he stands above the rest. This suggests a guiding light into the future.