Preview

Origin
unknown
Artist's Lifespan
unknown
Accession #
AG.2012.85
Date of Acquisition
2012
Circa Date
20th century
Description
This piece features Caribbean market symbols, such as harvesters, the sugar cane, and banana bunches.
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
15.5"x 23.5" (17"x25")
Location
Bldg. 9
Signature
LR
Collection
Wells Fargo
Framing
yes, not under glass
Condition
good
Exhibit Label
Native Fruit Pickers captures the vibrant colors of the Caribbean sun and heat. The rounded figures across the canvas carry and place products in baskets. This piece features distinctive Caribbean symbols, such as the horizontal sugar cane and the green and yellow banana bunches. The lively scene resembles the Haitian market painting popularized by artists like Laurent Casimir. The painting’s style reflects Afro-Caribbean folk art. In the mid-twentieth century, the Centre d'Art d'Haïti, a Haitian art organization, promoted “primitive art,” self-taught artists, and depictions of the working class. The Foyer des Arts Plastiques, another Haitian art organization, aimed to cater to mainstream markets and the modernist style. The artwork depicts symbols that are a staple in Caribbean culture.
Reference:
-
Poupeye, Veeerle. Caribbean Art. Thames and Hudson, 1998.
-
Randall, Morris, and Carol Crown, Charles Reagan Wilson, Cheryl Rivers. “Caribbean American Folk Art.” In The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, 23-67. The University of North Carolina Press, 2013.