A vibrant display of communal awe and celestial creation unfolds in Jacob Lawrence's 1989 masterpiece Genesis Creation Sermon IV, inviting you to bring this powerful piece of American art history into your collection.
Discover Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000), a pivotal African American artist of the Harlem Renaissance. Known for his 'dynamic cubism' & powerful depictions of Black life, history, and social justice.
SCAD Museum of Art
(Savannah, United States of America)
Explore contemporary art & design at SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah! Discover fashion, photography, African American art, and more within a historic Greek Revival building. A unique learning experience.
Based on biblical texts and his own memory of the Sunday sermons of the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Sr. at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York, Jacob Lawrence?s Genesis Creation Sermon series delivers a richly personal interpretation. Inspired by realism and details of iconography, Lawrence?s Genesis Creation Sermon series also reveals his interest in references from art history. The bright colors and expressive, monumental preacher figure that stands central in each work reflect the artist?s affinity for action and resonance given in the sermon. The gestural movements of the preacher figure engage the viewer in the immediate foreground while also leading to a middle ground containing parish members watching in awe. In the background, four arched windows exhibit an exterior scene beyond the church that encompasses the theme of each Genesis Creation panel. Together, the Genesis Creation Sermon series depicts a unique narrative universally celebrated and one that is unique to American art.
