Mrs. Cecchinelli's Classroom

There is music in me, the music of a peasant people. I wander through the levee, picking my banjo and singing my songs of the cabin and the field. At the Last Chance Saloon I am as welcome as the violets in March; there is always food and drink for me there, and the dimes of those who love honest music. Behind the railroad tracks the little children clap their hands and love me as they love Kris Kringle. But I fear that I am a failure. Last night a woman called me a troubadour. What is a troubadour?

The Banjo Lesson by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1893)

Art Activity

1. Select an artist and research his/her life. Using at least three sources take organized notes about the artist's background, his/her famous works, and how he/she influenced the Harlem Renaissance. Please provide a works cited page.

2. Select and analyze three pieces by the artist that you chose above. Please provide a copy of the piece you are analyzing. In your analysis please provide the following information:

Name of the artist
Name of the piece
The main objects in the piece
The story the piece is telling
The main colors used
The symbolic images that are used
The questions that are raised in your mind
Your personal reaction to the piece

3. Imagine that you are an artist during the Harlem Renaissance. Create an original piece of art that reflects the time period.

Final Product
Using the material that you gathered from above, create a project that highlights the artist's accomplishments, displays the artist's work, and your original work. You should also include photographs of the artist.

Examine each picture below and click on the links to see more work by each artist.

Into Bondage by Aaron Douglas