Going to Church

Artist William H. Johnson (American, 1901 - 1970)

Dateca. 1940-1941

MediumOpaque watercolor on paper

DimensionsUnframed: 9 3/8 x 13 5/8 inches (23.81 x 34.61 cm)
Framed: 17 x 20 7/8 inches (43.18 x 53.02 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. C. Humbert Tinsman Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. James E. C. Tinsman in memory of C. Humbert and Julia Tinsman

Object number2002.12.5

On View

Not on view

Collections

American Art

Terms

DescriptionThis colorful watercolor shows a group of four people going to church in a wagan pulled by a bull. A man and a woman (husband and wife?) sit in the front, while two younger males (their sons?) sit in the back. Their destination appears on the horizon line toward the left side of the composition. A sketch of a woman appears on the verso.Gallery Label

Gallery Label

William H. Johnson’s best-known paintings are characterized by the flattened perspective and bright colors seen in Going to Church. The artist’s interests in modern art and folk art shaped this deliberately naïve-looking style. His work shifted toward this appearance after he spent almost ten years in France and Scandinavia working in modernist styles popular in Europe.

Johnson created his first paintings of African American spiritual life during the early 1940s. This opaque watercolor is part of a series of images exploring the role of the church within black Southern communities. It was inspired by the artist’s personal experience growing up in Florence, South Carolina.

Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.