Self-Portrait

An artist as well as an art historian, James A. Porter is best known for Modern Negro Art, a groundbreaking survey published in 1943 on the works of African American artists. This book is considered the first comprehensive art history text to document the story of black American artists and how those artists have been affected by racial bias.

Porter once stated that he was inspired to write Modern Negro Art to dispute the "constantly reiterated statement that ‘The American Negro has no pictorial or plastic art.’" Porter’s decision to represent himself as a creator, an intellect, and a painter at his easel deconstructs this myth, revealing him to be an active participant in the history and legacy of American art.

This oil painting depicts the figure of a seated man holding an artist's palette. He is visible from the waist up, sitting in profile to the viewer. The figure, wearing a white collared shirt, turns slightly to the left, toward the viewer. He holds an artist's palette in his left hand and two brushes in his right. A wooden chair can be partially seen in the foreground right corner. The edge of an easel and canvas can be seen at the left edge of the picture. A picture frame can be seen on the wall to the right.

On the verso are three rectangular stickers adhering to the frame. One sticker is attached at the top. It has an image of James A. Porter and a block of text that reads "The Art of James A. Porter/ Dorothy Porter Wesley Research Center, Inc./ 2400 East Las Olas Blvd. ste 123/ Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301/ (954) 463-7880/ (954) 463-7881 Fax/ dpw_archives@hotmail.com/ #63 Self Portrait."

The bottom left sticker (clear plastic) "Self-Portrait/ Oil/ ca. 1935/ collection of Dorothy Porter Wesley."

The bottom right sticker "James A. Porter/ (1905-1970)/ Dorothy Porter Wesley Research Center Archives/ pmb - 123 2400 E. Las Olas Blvd./ Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301-1529 USA/ Phone (954) 463-7880 Fax(954)463-7881/ www.artnoir.com/index.porter.html/ email:artnoir@artnoir.com."