FIGURE 1

Archibald J. Motley, Jr. (American; 1891-1981).
Self-Portrait, c. 1920. Oil on canvas; 76.5 x 56.2 cm (30 1/8 x 22 1/8 in.). The Art Institute of Chicago, through prior acquisitions of Friends of American Art; through prior bequest of Marguerita S. Ritman (1995.239).
© Archie Motley

Introduction

In 1978, at the age of eighty-six, the noted Chicago painter Archibald J. Motley, Jr., sat down to reflect on his successful career with Dennis Barrie of the Archives of American Art. Reminiscing about a wide range of topics, he continually returned to the issue of race, asserting that, from the outset, he intended to use his art to portray African Americans “honestly,” declaring, “I’ve always wanted to paint my people just the way they were.” He stated further that he wanted to instill a sense of racial pride into his works which could be appreciated “regardless of [the viewer’s] race, color or creed.” 1

Embracing the idea that the fine arts are the highest expression of a culture, Motley, along with many contemporaries, believed that the visual arts could improve understanding between races by dispelling stereotypes and raising the consciousness of all Americans. In a 1928 Guggenheim fellowship application, he wrote:

• The history of the Negro has indeed been dramatic and perplexing. Many approaches to the heart of the race problem have been tried: political, industrial, educational, economic, sociological, and ethical. Considerable progress has been made along several of these approaches, but I think the art approach is the most practical, the most durable and will cause less friction. 2

Taking on the “art approach” was an admirable but extremely challenging task, leading Motley and others of his generation down a path that few African American artists had traveled before. As in any transition from old to new, the way was neither always straight nor clear. In this essay, I hope to show how Motley both achieved and contradicted his pioneering goals––to expand the canon of art beyond racial barriers, to create an awareness of and appreciation for African American culture among all races, and to foster greater understanding of the fine arts among African Americans––in a body of work that is at once passionate and complicated, masterful and controversial.