Robert Colescott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Colescott
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| Born | August 26, 1925 |
| Died | June 4, 2009 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Genre works |
| Movement | Neo-expressionism |
Robert H. Colescott (born August 26, 1925 – died June 4, 2009) was an American painter. He was famous for his funny and often thought-provoking paintings. These artworks often showed groups of people. He used satire, which means using humor to make a point. His art often shared his feelings about being African American.
Colescott studied art in Paris with a famous French artist named Fernand Léger. You can find Robert Colescott's paintings in many big art museums. These include the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
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Robert Colescott's Life Story
Robert Colescott loved music from a young age. His mother played the piano. His father was a talented violinist who played classical and jazz music. His family moved from New Orleans to Oakland, California, where Robert was born in 1925.
He started playing the drums when he was young. For a while, he thought about becoming a musician. But he chose to follow his passion for art instead. A family friend, the sculptor Sargent Claude Johnson, was a big inspiration. Johnson was connected to the Harlem Renaissance. This was a time when African-American artists created amazing works.
In 1940, Colescott watched the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera paint a large mural. This happened at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. Colescott learned about art from many cultures. He studied Western art history. He also explored art from Africa and New Guinea. He always knew what was new in the art world. But these early experiences stayed important to him.
Early Art Training and War Service
As a young artist, Colescott joined the U.S. Army in 1942. He served in Europe during World War II. His time in Paris was important. Paris was a center for art and welcomed African-American artists.
After the war, he came home. He went to UC Berkeley. He earned a bachelor's degree in drawing and painting in 1949. He then spent a year in Paris studying with Fernand Léger. He returned to UC Berkeley and got his master's degree in 1952.
Robert Colescott's Art Career
Starting His Art Career
Robert Colescott's art career really began in Portland. This was thanks to Arlene Schnitzer. She was a patron of the arts and philanthropist. This means she supported artists and gave money to good causes. She owned the Fountain Gallery. This gallery helped show new artists from the area.
Colescott's art was in the gallery's first show in 1961. He had his first solo show there in 1963. Sadly, a fire destroyed the gallery in 1977. Many of Colescott's paintings were lost. The gallery reopened and kept showing his work until 1986.
Travels to Egypt (1964–1967)
Colescott's trips to Egypt changed his life. He saw Egyptian art and culture. He also experienced the continent of Africa. This had a huge impact on his art. It changed both how his paintings looked and what they were about.
His series of paintings called "The Valley of the Queens" was inspired by a visit to Thebes. He was amazed by the art from thousands of years ago. He loved the strong stories, flowing lines, and bright colors. These elements deeply influenced his work.
Putting Black People into Art History
In the mid-1970s, Colescott started making art based on famous paintings. For example, his painting Olympia is at the Honolulu Museum of Art. It's a new version of Manet's Olympia. In Colescott's version, the Black servant is shown as an equal.
Another famous work is George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware (1975). This painting is based on Emanuel Leutze's 1851 painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River. Colescott put George Washington Carver, a pioneering African-American scientist, in charge of the boat. The boat is filled with Black cooks, maids, and musicians.
He also made his own funny and bold versions of other famous paintings. These include Vincent van Gogh's The Potato Eaters (1975) and Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait (1976).
First Big Art Show
In 1987, the San Jose Museum of Art held the first major retrospective of Colescott's art. A retrospective is a show that looks back at an artist's entire career. This exhibition traveled to many other museums across the United States. It helped more people see and appreciate his work.
Representing the United States in Venice
In 1997, Colescott became famous around the world. He was chosen to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. This is a very important international art exhibition. He was the first African-American artist to have a solo show for the U.S. at this event.
After Venice, his exhibition traveled to many museums. These included the Walker Art Center and the Queens Museum of Art. His work helped inspire a new generation of artists. This was especially true for African-American artists.
Recent Art Show in New York
On June 30, 2022, the New Museum in New York opened a show called "Art and Race Matters: The Career of Robert Colescott." This was the first big show of his art in Manhattan in over 30 years.
Robert Colescott's Teaching Career
Like many artists, Colescott was also a dedicated teacher. He taught at Portland State University from 1957 to 1966. In 1964, he took a break to study in Cairo, Egypt. He returned to Portland for a year. Then he went back to Egypt as a visiting professor at the American University of Cairo from 1966 to 1967.
When war broke out, he and his family moved to Paris for three years. They came back to California in 1970. For the next 15 years, he painted and taught art. He taught at Cal State, Stanislaus, UC Berkeley, and the San Francisco Art Institute.
In 1983, Colescott became a visiting professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He joined the faculty in 1985. In 1990, he was given the special title of Regents' Professor. This was a great honor for an art department faculty member.
Robert Colescott's Family Life
Robert Colescott passed away on June 4, 2009, in Tucson, Arizona.
He had a brother named Warrington Colescott Jr. Robert Colescott also had five sons: Alex, Nick, Dennett, Daniel, and Cooper Colescott. He had three grandchildren: Colescott Rubin, Hutton Colescott, and Holly Colescott.
See also
