She made a handful of quilts from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, few of which survive. Hunter has been celebrated foremost as a painter who chronicled Louisiana plantation life in the early twentieth century. Pictorial quilts, like other African American improvisational textiles, are highly personal and depart radically from prescribed quality styles more prevalent in European-rooted cultures. Melrose Quilt depicts the historic plantation’s iconic architecture: Melrose House, Africa House, Yucca House, and another building which may have been where Hunter lodged. It became a mecca for artists and writers and inspired Hunter to record her own experiences. Born in 1887 at Little Eva Plantation, legend has it the plantation was the basis of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Melrose Plantation, which is a National Historic Landmark and a site on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, was built by and for free blacks. RT SaintRPh: Louisiana History: Lesson 5 Clementine Hunter Clementine Hunter is a folk artist from a North Louisiana Plantation in Natchitoches parish. Although she never learned to read or write, Hunter was a natural storyteller who recorded her memories in visual form. She moved to Melrose as a girl and worked as a cotton-picker for most of her life. Considered the first FBI case of its kind, it legitimized folk art and protected Hunter’s legacy.Clementine Hunter, who was the daughter of slaves, was born onto the plantation thought to have inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Instead, she spent most of her life working on Louisiana plantations. Clementine Hunter didn’t have a formal art training. ![]() ![]() Her story and art speaks to me, and I thought that it might speak to you, too. Dead giveaway? The forger added dirt to “age” his knockoffs, but the soil wasn’t from Melrose. American folk artist Clementine Hunter is one of them. She attended a local Catholic elementary school only briefly and remained illiterate her entire life. In 2009, the FBI finally cracked the case, putting an end to decades of deception. Hunter was born on a cotton plantation near Cloutierville, Louisiana, in 1886. Hunter forgeries have circulated since the 1970s. She mounted pay-to-see exhibitions at her home, charged visitors to take pictures with her, sold her work (for modest prices), and even created the occasional self-portrait. Recognizing the growing interest in her work, Hunter took charge of her image and success. Her signature evolved over time, culminating in the stylized symbol of a backward “C” overlapping an “H.” Historically, unsigned art, especially by women artists, has been vulnerable to misattribution. May I Have Your Signature, Please?Īt the prudent recommendation, and steady hand of, an early supporter, Hunter’s name first appeared on her works in the mid-1940s. NMWA, Gift of the Mildred Hart Bailey Clementine Hunter Art Trust © Clementine Hunter 3. Clementine Hunter (18871988) painted every day from the 1930s until several days before her death at age 101. Clementine Hunter, Baptisin’, 1984 Oil on canvasboard, 17 1/2 x 23 1/2 in. While her work recalls artistic traditions across time and place-narratives on ancient Chinese scrolls and Greek pottery, hierarchical scale in Egyptian and Renaissance works, and repurposed found objects in modern art-they sprang independently from Hunter’s imagination. ![]() ![]() Hunter painted on a variety of surfaces, including boards, window shades, and jugs. Today, Melrose (and its African House murals by Hunter), is one of 12 sites in the Historic Artists’ Homes & Studios network that celebrates the contributions of American women artists. When Melrose became a haven for artists and writers, Hunter gained access to the materials and encouragement needed to begin painting. Hunter lived and worked at Melrose Plantation, built by and for free Black people, for 75 years. Despite her late start, Hunter created thousands of works and is considered one of Louisiana’s most well-known artists. Her work depicts everyday moments and special occasions in the Cane River region of northern Louisiana, where she lived her entire life. Self-taught, Hunter began “marking pictures” in 1939, when she was in her 50s. Her work depicts everyday moments and special occasions in the Cane River region of. Self-taught, Hunter began marking pictures in 1939, when she was in her 50s. Impress your friends with five fast facts about African American folk artist Clementine Hunter (1886 or 1887–1998), whose colorful works are in NMWA’s collection. Impress your friends with five fast facts about African American folk artist Clementine Hunter (1886 or 18871998), whose colorful works are in NMWA’s collection.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |