Head of a Woman
"Head of a Woman" is indicative of Charles Sebree's style in which he uses washes and planes of muted color and black aqueous line to delineate elements of his figures. Also a noted playwright, set designer and director of the Chicago Renaissance, Sebree's portraits primarily featured harlequins. They exemplify the Modernist influence, specifically the work of Picasso and Modigliani, and this particular work shares striking similarities to Picasso's acclaimed work "Woman in White" (1923). Characterized for their expressive eyes and blocky forms, Sebree's figures also reference his interest in Byzantine icons.
The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art
One of the most important collections of African American visual art dating from the 18th century to the present, the collection includes 62 works from Edward Bannister, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Robert S. Duncanson, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence and others. This collection forms the foundation of a multidisciplinary center for the study, understanding and appreciation of African American art and culture. Items from the collection have previously rotated in the Evans Center Gallery and through unique exhibitions such as the 2012 "Life's Link: A Fred Wilson Installation," and the 2017 travelling exhibition of Jacob Lawrence's work.