Marian Anderson

Object Details

Artist

Betsy Graves Reyneau, 1888 - 1964

Sitter

Marian Anderson, 27 Feb 1897 - 8 Apr 1993

Exhibition Label

Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The trailblazing singer Marian Anderson's talent and success not only broke boundaries but also turned her into a civil rights icon who overcame racism throughout her career. Anderson is best remembered for her gripping performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in April 1939. On that day, some seventy-five thousand people gathered to hear her sing while countless others across the nation listened to the live radio broadcast. Because of her race, Anderson had been prohibited from performing at the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Constitution Hall and other venues in Washington, D.C. The recital at the Lincoln Memorial thus became a watershed moment in the struggle against segregationist policies and discrimination. Among Anderson’s many admirers was Eleanor Roosevelt, who had praised her “beautiful and moving voice.” The first lady renounced her D.A.R. membership and helped to facilitate the singer’s Lincoln Memorial performance.

Nacida en Filadelfia, Pensilvania

Con su talento y su éxito, la cantante Marian Anderson no solo rompió barreras, sino que se convirtió en ícono de los derechos civiles, superando el racismo a lo largo de su carrera. Anderson es muy recordada por su emocionante actuación en las escalinatas del Monumento a Lincoln el Domingo de Pascua de 1939. Ese día se reunieron unas 75,000 personas para oírla cantar, y muchos más la escucharon por radio en vivo a través del país. Debido a su raza, le habían impedido presentarse en la sala Constitution Hall de las Hijas de la Revolución Estadounidense (D.A.R.) y en otros lugares de Washington D.C. El recital en el Monumento a Lincoln fue, por tanto, un momento histórico en la lucha contra las prácticas segregacionistas y la discriminación. Entre los numerosos admiradores de Anderson estaba Eleanor Roosevelt, que había elogiado su “voz hermosa y emotiva”. La primera dama canceló su membresía en D.A.R. y facilitó la presentación de la cantante en el Monumento a Lincoln.

Provenance

Harmon Foundation; gift 1967 to NPG.

Collection Description

The Harmon Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in New York City (active 1922–1967), included this portrait in their exhibition Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin, which opened at the Smithsonian in 1944 and documented noteworthy African Americans’ contributions to the country. Modeling their goal of social equality, the Harmon sought portraits from African American artist Laura Wheeler Waring and Euro-American artist Betsy Graves Reyneau. The two painters followed the conventional codes of academic portraiture, seeking to convey their sitters’ extraordinary accomplishments. This painting, along with a variety of educational materials, toured nation-wide for ten years, serving as a visual rebuttal to racism.

La Harmon Foundation, entidad filantrópica con sede en la ciudad de Nueva York (activa entre 1922 y 1967), incluyó este retrato en Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin (Retratos de estadounidenses destacados de origen negro), una exposición inaugurada en la Smithsonian en 1944 que documentó las aportaciones de afroamericanos notables al país. A tono con sus ideales de igualdad social, la fundación encargó retratos a la artista afroamericana Laura Wheeler Waring y a la euroamericana Betsy Graves Reyneau. Ambas adoptaron los códigos convencionales del retrato académico para comunicar en sus obras los logros extraordinarios de sus modelos. Esta pintura, junto con diversos materiales educativos, viajó por la nación durante diez años planteando una impugnación visual del racismo.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Harmon Foundation

1955

Object number

NPG.67.76

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© Peter Edward Fayard

Type

Painting

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

Stretcher: 153 x 97.5 x 2.5cm (60 1/4 x 38 3/8 x 1")

Frame: 163.2 x 107.2 x 5.4cm (64 1/4 x 42 3/16 x 2 1/8")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition

The Struggle for Justice Refresh

On View

NPG, West Gallery 220

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Costume\Dress Accessory\Glove

Exterior\Architecture

Architecture\Column

Baggage & Luggage\Bag\Purse

Costume\Outerwear\Coat\Fur

Marian Anderson: Female

Marian Anderson: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Opera singer

Marian Anderson: Education and Scholarship\Educator\Teacher\Music

Marian Anderson: Presidential Medal of Freedom

Marian Anderson: Congressional Gold Medal

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.67.76

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm49d0cd1cb-f23f-4624-a7ea-caec1ddd67ef