Bernard Harmon
Modern Man, Expressionist Portrait in Red, White, and Blue
1975

Name: Modern Man, Expressionist Portrait in Red, White, and Blue
Brand: Bernard Harmon
Price: 18000 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

"Modern Man" is a painting by Philadelphia born Expressionist painter Bernard Harmon. The 40" x 36" oil on canvas portrait features a young African American man posing casually and seemingly in quiet contemplation. The work is painted predominately in Red, White, and Blue, connecting the portrait to a strong sense of patriotism. The painting is framed in a new, black wood frame. Figurative expressionism in the style of Alice Neel. Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935. Harmon was primarily a portrait painter and a well loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temples Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America. Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School, in the early 1960s he became one of the district's artists in residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school systems District #1. During his short life Harmon taught collage preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University. Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. Bernard Harmon was active in promoting African American Artist throughout his life time. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American Artists 1800 - 1969" at the Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center in 1969. He was considered a Renaissance man by friends and colleagues for his interests not only in art but music and theater as well. He was familiar and friends with many other African American artists such as Doc Thrash, Selma Burke, Paul Keene Jr. , Allen Freelon and Charles Searles. Harmon's work reflects his love of his students and friends. His work has a loose expressionist style that can be related to the work of Alice Kneel . A 2016 exhibition at Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio was one of the largest offerings of Bernard Harmons work in many years.

Creator:

Bernard Harmon (1935 - 1989, American)

Creation Year:

1975

Dimensions:

Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 44 in (111.76 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)

Medium:

Canvas,Oil

Movement & Style:

Expressionist

Period:

1970-1979

Condition:

The painting has been cleaned, varnished, and framed. Additional shipping options are available upon request.

Gallery Location:

Doylestown, PA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU140227265312

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Shop All Bernard Harmon

Bernard Harmon

Bernard Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1935. He was primarily a portrait painter and a well-loved teacher in the Philadelphia area. A graduate of the Philadelphia Museum School and Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, Harmon traveled extensively in Europe and South America.

Beloved by many, Harmon taught in the Philadelphia School District for 32 of his 54 years of life. Beginning his career as an art teacher at West Philadelphia High School in the early 1960s, he became one of the district's artists-in-residence, traveling from school to school to demonstrate for students how an artist works. Returning to the classroom, Harmon joined the art department at Central High School where he taught for 14 years and became an innovator in its art curriculum, developing a program offering advanced placement art classes to gifted students. In his final years Harmon became a supervisor, mentoring teachers and overseeing programs in the Philadelphia school system’s District #1.

During his short life Harmon taught college preparatory art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, summer classes at the University of the Arts, and a Saturday program for gifted children at Drexel University.

Among Harmon's portraits were commissioned by Philadelphia Jazz organist Jimmy Smith and Mayor Richardson Dilworth. The artist was active in promoting African American artists throughout his lifetime. He organized many early shows such as the "Afro American Artists 1800–1969" at the Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center in 1969, and was considered a Renaissance man by friends and colleagues for his interests not only in art but music and theater as well. Harmon was familiar and friends with many other African American artists such as Doc Thrash, Selma Burke, Paul Keene Jr., Allen Freelon and Charles Searles.

Harmon's work reflects his love of his students and friends. His art has a loose expressionist style that can be related to the work of Alice Neel. A 2016 exhibition at Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio was one of the largest offerings of Bernard Harmon’s work in many years.

Find original Bernard Harmon paintings and other art on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio)