jan 1, 1975 - George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook | Robert Colescott

Description:

Robert H. Colescott (1925-2009) was an American painter. He is known for satirical genre and crowd subjects, often conveying his exuberant, comical, or bitter reflections on being African American.
The painting was made in 1975, an acrylic on canvas, and a re-appropriation of Leutze’s. In this painting, he replaced George Wshington with George Washington Carver (1864-1943), who was one of the most prominent black scientists of the early 20th century, surrounded by 8 other black people (including Aunt Jamina [an American breakfast brand for breakfast food products] and Uncle Ben [an American rice brand], the food brands). The people are painted in a comical way, oversimplified and deliberately degrading, to remind of the ongoing issue of racism and slavery in America (and, you know, other places). The painting was first exhibited at John Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco in 1975, then bought by a private collector in 1976, then finally by the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in California in 2021.

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