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Josephine Baker

A work made of wool and cotton; tapestry weave.

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  • A work made of wool and cotton; tapestry weave.

Date:

1974

Artist:

Robert Brady (American, 1928–1986; permanent resident of Mexico, from 1961)
Cuernavaca, Mexico

About this artwork

The entertainer and activist Josephine Baker, an American expatriate celebrated for her riveting and commanding dance performances, rose to fame in 1920s Paris. In this tapestry, her friend, the artist Robert Brady, depicts Baker in a dynamic pose, wearing her famous banana skirt (which she debuted in 1926). The juxtaposition of the black, dark blue, and white background with the brown of Baker’s lithe body and the yellow of her banana skirt dramatically captures the energy and iconoclasm of her vivid performances.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Artist

Robert Emmet Brady

Title

Josephine Baker

Place

Mexico (Object made in)

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 1974

Medium

Wool and cotton; tapestry weave

Inscriptions

Initialed: JB 25 RB 74

Dimensions

199.7 × 121.3 cm (78 5/8 × 47 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John V. Farwell III

Reference Number

1976.347

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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