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Special Houses, from The Black Woman (formerly The Negro Woman) (published 1946-47)

Print in thick black lines of two women, pictured from the shoulders up, in front of three apartment buildings. The woman on the left wears a headwrap. She looks directly at the viewer with eyebrows raised and mouth slightly frowning. The woman on the right is in profile, looking at the other woman.
© 2019 Catlett Mora Family Trust / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

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  • Print in thick black lines of two women, pictured from the shoulders up, in front of three apartment buildings. The woman on the left wears a headwrap. She looks directly at the viewer with eyebrows raised and mouth slightly frowning. The woman on the right is in profile, looking at the other woman.

Date:

1946, printed 1989

Artist:

Elizabeth Catlett
American, active in Mexico, 1915-2012

About this artwork

The I Am the Black Woman series (previously called Negro Women) is composed of 15 linocuts accompanied by explanatory titles and texts. The series celebrates the courage and determination of female heroines of African American history, as well as the valor, integrity, and resolve of ordinary women. The Art Institute’s three prints from the series focus on the daily struggles of African American women. Aesthetically, the entire series is characterized by an emphasis on figural simplicity. A palpable sense of movement and a lack of excessive detail are visible throughout the series. This print, Special Houses, addresses the issue of segregated housing and the experiences of African Americans in crowded northern cities.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Elizabeth Catlett

Title

Special Houses, from The Black Woman (formerly The Negro Woman) (published 1946-47)

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1946

Medium

Linocut on cream wove paper

Dimensions

Image: 10.8 × 15 cm (4 5/16 × 5 15/16 in.); Sheet: 20 × 25.5 cm (7 7/8 × 10 1/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by The Leadership Advisory Committee

Reference Number

2005.142.2

Copyright

© 2019 Catlett Mora Family Trust / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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