Harlem Renaissance Gallery Walk

Harlem Renaissance Gallery Walk Paintings & Analysis Questions
These paintings were printed as full 8x11 pages for the gallery lesson. I shrank them
to meet the page limit requirements.
Exhibit A: Aaron Douglas Paintings
Into Bondage (1936) Song of the Towers (1934)
Exhibit A Questions:
Pick one of the two paintings and answer the following questions:
1. What are three details that you notice in this painting? Look at the color, style, and objects
of this painting.
2. What can you infer about the objects in this painting? What do some of the objects in the
painting represent?
3. Look at the colors in this painting. What is the mood of this painting?
4. How does this painting reflect the artist’s perspective on the Harlem Renaissance?
Exhibit B: Photographs of Harlem Residents by James Van Der Zee
Prince Kojo Tovalou-Houénou, 1924 Elks 1924

Eve’s Daughter 1920 Lady with a Fur Jacket 1935 Wedding Couple 1934
Exhibit B Questions:
1. Why do you think James Van Der Zee’s photographs were important during the Harlem
Renaissance?
2. What do these photographs tell you about life during the Harlem Renaissance?
3. Pick one photograph and explain how it reflects key ideas and philosophies of the Harlem
Renaissance.
Exhibit C: Jacob Lawrence “The Great Migration” Series
“During the World War there was a great migration North by Southern Negroes,” 1941.
“In every town Negroes were leaving by the hundreds to go North and enter into Northern industry,” 1941
“In many cities in the North where the Negroes had been overcrowded in their own living quarters they
attempted to spread out. This resulted in many of the race riots and the bombings of Negro homes,” 1941
“The female worker was also one of the last groups to leave the South.” 1941
Exhibit C Questions:
1. Summarize all four of these paintings in 1-2 sentences. What story do they tell about the
Great Migration?
2. Look at the second painting in this series. What do you think the birds might symbolize?
How does this add to the meaning of the painting?
3. Based on these selected paintings, how would you describe Jacob Lawrence’s perspective
on the Great Migration.
Exhibit D: Loïs Maliou Jones Painting

The Ascent of Ethiopia 1932 Exhibit D Questions:
1. What are three details that you notice
in this painting? Look at the color,
style, and objects of this painting.
2. What can you infer about the objects
in this painting? What do some of the
objects in the painting represent?
3. Look at the colors in this painting.
What is the mood of this painting?
4. How does this painting reflect ideas
from the Harlem Renaissance?
Exhibit E: Archibald Motley
Blues, 1929 Gettin’ Religion 1948
Exhibit E Questions:
Pick one of the two paintings and answer the following:
1. List three details from the painting that stand out to you.
2. What do you think the artist wanted to communicate in this painting? What do you see in
the artwork that makes you say that?
3. How do you think this painting illustrates its title? Please explain using evidence from the
painting.
Exhibit F: August Savage
The Harp: Lift Every Voice and Sing Sculpture 1939
Exhibit F Questions:
1. Why do you think Augusta Savage chose to include several children in this sculpture?
What might they represent?
2. Think of where you typically see harps in music and film. What might the harp symbolize
in this sculpture?
Exhibit G: James Lesesne Wells
Exhibit G Questions:
1. What do you see in this painting? List
all of the objects that stand out to you.
2. What can you infer about the objects
in this painting? What might they
represent?
3. What is the significance of the
buildings in the man’s hands? What
might this tell us about the artist’s
message?
Looking Upward, 1928
Exhibit H: Laura Wheeler Waring
Portrait of W.E.B. Du Bois Portrait of Alice Dunbar Nelson Woman with Bouquet 1940
Exhibit H Questions:
Pick one of the portraits and answer the following questions:
1. Look at the pose of the subject in this painting. What might this suggest about their
personality or reputation?
2. Look at the colors in this painting. What does the use of color tell us about the subject of
the portrait?
3. Based on this portrait, what are two words you would use to describe the subject?
4. What is the significance of Laura Wheeler Waring painting portraits of Harlem Renaissance
figures?

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Harlem Renaissance Gallery Walk Paintings & Analysis Questions

Exhibit B: Photographs of Harlem Residents by James Van Der Zee

Prince Kojo Tovalou-Houénou, 1924 Elks 1924

Exhibit C: Jacob Lawrence “The Great Migration” Series

Exhibit D: Loïs Maliou Jones Painting

Exhibit F: August Savage

The Harp: Lift Every Voice and Sing Sculpture 1939

Looking Upward, 1928

Exhibit H: Laura Wheeler Waring

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