Painting

NamePainting

Artist Purvis Young (1943 - 2010)

CultureAfrican American

Dateca.1985-1991

Place madeMiami, Florida, United States, North America

MediumPaint, masonite

Dimensions12 3/16 × 38 11/16 × 1/8 in. (31 × 98.3 × 0.3 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift in recognition of Janet Fleisher, A.2020.17.11

Object numberA.2020.17.11

Collections

United States and Canada

ProvenanceThis gift from the estate of Janet Fleisher consists of multiple works by two self-taught artists—The Philadelphia Wireman and Purvis Young--whom Janet Fleisher represented in her gallery in Philadelphia. Fleisher opened the Janet Fleisher Gallery near Rittenhouse Square in the mid-1960s and operated it for more than 30 years, until her retirement in 1996. She showed an eclectic variety of work, including work by self-taught or “outsider” artists, one of the earliest galleries to champion this genre of work. Janet Fleisher passed away in 2010.

DescriptionThis painting is comprised of paint on a Masonite board. The painting is on a long rectangular board with the four corners cut out in 90º angles. The painting consists of a yellow background with two blue round shapes, with multicolored figures of various heights between them. In the upper proper left corner there is a signature by the artist in blue paint.