Archibald Motley

Archibald John Motley, Jr. (1891-1980)

Trained at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Motley was the first African American painter to have a solo exhibition in New York City (New Gallery, 1928). In the 1930s, he painted murals depicting African American history for the WPA. He was committed to African American subjects, especially portraits and urban scenes featuring stylized forms and a warm palette. Motley received a Guggenheim Fellowship and was one of ten African American artists honored by President Carter in 1980.

Important Source Material:

Harris, Michael D. "Color Lines: Mapping Color Consciousness in the Art of Archibald Motley, Jr." Colored Pictures: Race and Visual Representation. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003.

Mooney, Amy M. Archibald J. Motley, Jr. Petaluma, Calif.: Pomegranate Communications, Inc., 2004.

Robinson, Jontyle Theresa and Wendy Greenhouse. The Art of Archibald J. Motley, Jr. Chicago: Chicago Historical Society, 1991.

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