Mount Calvary
William H. Johnson returned to the United States in 1938 after living abroad in France and Scandinavia where he was initially trained in modernist visual language and later Northern folk art vernacular. Once he returned to America, Johnson immersed himself in African American traditions, creating work that spanned media and imagery — from landscapes and still lifes to portraiture and religious scenes. "Mount Calvary" is a striking piece, with elongated figures, bold colors and flattened space that typifies Johnson's mature style. This gouache on paper is a study for the 1944 oil painting "Christ Crucified," illustrating Johnson's careful compositional planning and initial color choices. It is one among numerous biblical scenes that Johnson depicted.
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.