A nude Black woman lies on a stark white chaise, her head propped up by her thin arm. She’s surrounded by flat, abstracted color in the form of fruits and fabrics, and a glass coupe and bottle on a nearby table offer a clear, rather than refracted, view of the vibrant scene.

William H. Johnson, "Minnie" (1930), oil on canvas, 17 x 12 1/8 inches
Images courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum and Art Resource.
‘Colorstruck!’ Examines the Connection Between Race and Chromatic Expression
Image courtesy of Art Resource.
Alma Thomas, “The Eclipse” (1970), acrylic on canvas, 62 x 49 ¾ inches
Images courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum and Art Resource.
‘Colorstruck!’ Examines the Connection Between Race and Chromatic Expression
Image courtesy of Art Resource.
‘Colorstruck!’ Examines the Connection Between Race and Chromatic Expression
Image courtesy of Art Resource.