On View
Not on viewObject number2010.29
Untitled (Couple)
Artist
Charles Henry Alston
(American, 1907-1977)
Dateca. 1945-1950
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensionsframe: 28 × 32 × 2 in. (71.1 × 81.3 × 5.1 cm)
image: 20 in. × 23 1/2 in. (50.8 × 59.7 cm)
image: 20 in. × 23 1/2 in. (50.8 × 59.7 cm)
Credit LineAcquired through the generosity of an anonymous donor
Exhibition History"Embracing Diverse Voices: 80 Years of African-American Art," KIA Traveling Exhibition, Bakersfield Museum of Art (Dec. 13, 2012 – Mar. 10, 2013).
"Lasting Legacy: A Collection for Kalamazoo," Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, Michigan (Sep. 6, 2014 - Jan. 4, 2015).
"Common Ground: African American Art from the Flint Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and the Muskegon Museum of Art," FIA, Flint, Michigan (Feb. 8 - Apr. 26, 2015), KIA, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (Aug. 21 - Nov. 15, 2015), Muskegon Museum of Arts, Muskegon, Michigan ().
"Embracing Diverse Voices: A Century of African-American Art," KIA Traveling Exhibition, North Carolina Central University Art Museum (October 7 - December 12, 2016).
"The Expressionist Figure," at the KIA (January 19 - May 5, 2019).
"Resilience: African American Artists as Agents of Change," at the KIA (September 14, 2019 - February 16, 2020).
"Unveiling American Genius," KIA Permanent Collection Exhibition, Traditional, Markin, Nay and Groos Galleries (March 1, 2021 - December 31, 2023).
"American Realism: Visions of America 1900-1950," Muskegon Museum of Art (May 11 - August 27, 2023); Flint Institute of Arts (September 9 - December 30, 2023); KIA (January 21 - April 14, 2024).Label TextIn Untitled (Couple), a woman sits at a table, wearily resting her head on her arm. Next to her is a bottle and overturned glass. In the background, a man sits quietly at a piano. While the figures appear isolated, lost in their own thoughts, they are connected through the composition’s overlapping planes and the strong directional movement that aligns their arms. The glowing reds that emerge from the subdued pattern of colors add emotional warmth to the reflective mood of the painting.
A muralist, painter, and teacher, Charles Alston was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance and a vital contributor to the development of African American art. Alston arrived in New York City as a young boy from North Carolina. He attended Columbia University where he developed a deep interest in Modern art. At the same time, Alston also drew inspiration from the music and the black cultural life of Harlem.
