Raynolds Place

When reflecting on this watercolor for his 1976 retrospective at the Corcoran some six years after painting it, the artist John Robinson, stated “I’d like to paint the scene now and call it Where the Grapes of Wrath are Stored; it’s an interesting part of the city.” The painting depicts his Anacostia neighborhood on an autumn day. Three children play in a patch of grass on the left side of the image. On the right, a man carries something towards another figure who appears to wait for him. In the background, two young girls in matching outfits pass a woman wearing a yellow dress. Unlike later artists who would use stark realism to depict the city as full of poverty and blight, Robinson painted with bright colors and used soft light, emphasizing community and moments of connection.