Drawing for Porter Family Christmas Cards

This original drawing for a Christmas card depicts a holiday scene from the family home of artist James Porter in northwest Washington. Porter himself stands on a ladder, his back to the viewer, while hanging a banner that reads “MERRY XMAS!” His wife Dorothy looks over at their young daughter Constance, who gazes in awe at their Christmas tree. The image is sketched in pencil and black ink, with watercolor toning in the banner, the carpet, and other festive details. A banner at the bottom wishes the recipient a “GLAD NEW YEAR.”

According to Tritobia Hayes Benjamin, a former student of Porter’s who went on to become an Associate Dean at Howard University, his cards “represent a consummate artist who is involved in the fine and applied arts, and [who] is comfortable and competent with his artistry on a large or miniscule scale.”