Everyone remembers the story of the wolf in sheep's clothing. Maybe mom recounted the story as she tucked you in one night, or perhaps Saturday morning cartoons first introduced you to the fable. Now you can see a celebrated artist's rendering of that tale in the exhibition titled "Jacob Lawrence-Aesop's Fables," currently on view at the Hood Museum.
One of the country's most celebrated artists, Lawrence is most widely known for his works that depict American and African American life. His earliest pieces spell out central artistic themes that he would develop years down the line. The storytelling theme, coupled with Lawrence's love for the narrative series genre, shines in his "Aesop's Fables" illustrations.
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1917, Lawrence moved to New York City in 1930 and began his study of painting at the Harlem Art Workshop under Charles Alston.
Through Alston, Lawrence became involved with key figures from the Harlem Renaissance, including writers Langston Hughes and Ralph Ellison. He gained a first-hand knowledge of contemporary American and European artwork and developed an intense interest in African American history and culture. This period of Lawrence's life would have a profound influence on his future artistic development.
Lawrence's artistic career spans nearly 70 distinctive years. Today, his work resides in the collections of nearly every major American museum and has toured the nation in three different retrospectives. Lawrence's honors include 20 honorary doctorates from universities like Harvard, Yale and New York University. In 1990, he received the National Medal of Arts from President Bush, and he is also a member of both the Academy of Arts and Letters and the Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Fortunately for students, the "Aesop's Fables" exhibit allows them the opportunity to view one of Lawrence's greatest narrative accomplishments. Each of the 23 pen-and-ink drawings included in the show illustrates one of the timeless fables many of us know from childhood.
Lawrence produced this extraordinary series for a new edition of "Aesop's Fables," published by Windmill Books/Simon and Schuster in 1970. A cast of animals, ranging from mice to swans to frogs, communicates instructive morals such as "Beware of flattery" and "Pride goeth before a fall."
Moral insights aside, the exhibit's true power lies in Lawrence's remarkable skill as a draftsman. Although renowned as a colorist, Lawrence chose to do these illustrations in black and white, using only pen and ink to produce the images. He places the lively figures on a narrative stage of carefully placed fields of dense, unbroken black. Subtle modulation of outline lends a sense of animation to the illustrations.
The details of the figures and the texture of the lines capture the viewer's attention; the visual complexity of each individual composition draws you in, allowing you to appreciate the illustration at several different levels. Yet Lawrence somehow achieves images that are direct and easy to understand.
The series clearly demonstrates Lawrence's talent for characterization. He deftly creates the personality of each character, as seen the regal stance and arrogant growl of the lion in "The Lion and the Other Beasts Go Hunting" or the smug contentment of the porcupine in "The Porcupine and the Snakes." The overall result is an array of charming characters, each imbued with a persona that gives new life and delight to these ancient tales.
Although Lawrence is a natural illustrator with a deep commitment to telling stories through his art, "Aesop's Fables" represents a departure in subject matter for the artist. Throughout his career he has demonstrated a commitment to social content, as well as art that deals with African American history.
When approached by the publisher to illustrate a book, however, Lawrence chose the theme of "Aesop's Fables" himself. Lawrence noted at the time that the fables enforce truths that adults and children can appreciate equally.
"Jacob Lawrence-Aesop's Fables" presents a rare chance to view a Lawrence series in its entirety. Organized by Francis Seder Gallery Ltd. in Seattle, Washington, the Hood's exhibit is the only northeastern venue for this nationally touring exhibition.
Also on display are two of the college's own works by Lawrence: "Soldiers and Students," one of his 1960s series of drawings on the theme of racial injustice and the civil rights struggle, and "Harriet and the Promised Land," an illustration Lawrence created for the story of Harriet Tubman.
Lawrence's work invites us to revisit the those way-back-when days. It's an invitation worth accepting. Who knows what you might learn this time around?
The "Jacob Lawrence-Aesop's Fables" exhibition will be at the Hood Museum through Sunday, June 20.
