| The artist taking center stage during the Harlem Renaissance was William H. Johnson. Johnson moved from South Carolina to Harlem at the very beginning of the Renaissance. He studied for a while at the National Academy of Art under Charles Hawthorne and George Lorks. After studying art in Europe, Johnson's style took on a Van Gogh quality, a combination of the Post-Impressionist style of Van Gogh with a little of the Cubism of Picasso thrown in for good measure. Johnson's art, like the literature and music of the Harlem Renaissance, reflected the movement's culture, a culture of urbanization. Like other Harlem artists of the period, Johnson's subjects reflected everyday Harlem life, a unique insight into the conditions and culture of the area. |
