Skip to main content

Jacob Lawrence Paintings

American, 1917-2000

One of the first Black artists to receive national acclaim in the United States, Jacob Armstead Lawrence (1917–2000) was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, before moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then to Harlem, New York, in 1930. While enrolled in a community after-school arts program, Lawrence developed his talents as a painter, drawing praise and encouragement from artist Charles Alston, who ran the program at the time. Despite his family’s financial struggles during the Great Depression, Lawrence continued his pursuit of the arts, developing a series of multipanel realist paintings dedicated to iconic Black historical figures, including Toussaint L’Ouverture, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. In 1938, he had his first solo exhibition at the Harlem YMCA and had begun to work for the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

In 1940, Lawrence received a grant from a philanthropic organization called the Rosenwald Fund, which allowed him to begin what would become his most famous work: The Migration Series, a narrative piece comprised of casein tempera paint on 60 18-by-12-inch hardboard panels featuring captions he’d written before he began to paint. (Fellow artist and future wife Gwendolyn Knight helped with the text.) Lawrence’s series focuses on the Great Migration of Black Americans from the agricultural South to the industrial North between 1910 and 1940.

By the end of the 1940s, Lawrence had earned widespread recognition for his important work and was the most celebrated Black artist in the United States. He continued covering Black historical figures throughout his career, though he also painted social commentaries on contemporary issues, like World War II and civil rights. He taught at the Art Students League in New York and at Black Mountain College in North Carolina (upon invitation from artist Josef Albers), among other institutions.

Lawrence’s works can be found in the collections of many major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and elsewhere. His painting The Builders hangs in the White House today, as it was acquired by the White House Historical Association in 2007.

Find watercolor paintings, prints and more by Jacob Lawrence on 1stDibs.

to
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Use search to find more

28
794
779
759
660

Use search to find more

Artist: Jacob Lawrence
"Windows"
"Windows"

Jacob Lawrence"Windows", c. 1977

$743,750

"Windows"

By Jacob Lawrence

Located in Lambertville, NJ

Jim's of Lambertville Fine Art Gallery is proud to present this work by Jacob Lawrence (1917 – 2000). Provenance: This painting is from the private collection of Gwen Lawrence, widow of Jacob Lawrence. Exhibitions: An attached photo (3rd photo) of the back of the piece shows its extensive exhibition history. Biography: Leading African-American narrative painter, Jacob Lawrence was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1917. After his father abandoned his family in 1924, Lawrence spent several years in foster homes before reuniting with his mother in 1930 in Harlem, New York. In New York, he attended art classes organized at the Harlem Art Workshop with Charles Aston and the Harlem Community Art Center with Augusta Savage. There, he met fellow young painters, Aaron Douglas, and William Johnson...

Category

1970s Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Related Items
Saturday Evening Post Illustration. “ The Devil’s Stronghold” Original Magazine

Edwin GeorgiSaturday Evening Post Illustration. “ The Devil’s Stronghold” Original Magazine, 1960

$6,800

H 15.5 in W 14.5 in D 16 in

Saturday Evening Post Illustration. “ The Devil’s Stronghold” Original Magazine

By Edwin Georgi

Located in Miami, FL

The work is mostly black and white to indicate that this is a night scene. On closer inspection, you will see areas of magenta and ivory throughout The publisher's label on verso ide...

Category

1960s American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

India Ink, Gouache, Pencil, Illustration Board

Pair of African American Portraits
Pair of African American Portraits

Josef PresserPair of African American Portraits, circa 1945

$1,250

H 9 in W 7 in D 2 in

Pair of African American Portraits

By Josef Presser

Located in Saratoga Springs, NY

Josef Presser (1907-1967) Pair of African American Portraits 9 x 7” each, Gouache on paper (One signed) circa 1945 Frame size: 14 3/4 wide x 16 1/2 tall Price: $950 Description of ...

Category

1940s Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Hillside and Stream, early 20th century modernist Cleveland School painting
Hillside and Stream, early 20th century modernist Cleveland School painting

Clara DeikeHillside and Stream, early 20th century modernist Cleveland School painting, 1916

$15,000

H 22 in W 18 in

Hillside and Stream, early 20th century modernist Cleveland School painting

By Clara Deike

Located in Beachwood, OH

Clara Deike (American, 1881-1964) Hillside and Stream, 1916 Gouache on paper Signed and dated lower right 22 x 18 inches 25.5 x 21.5 inches, framed A graduate of the Cleveland Schoo...

Category

1910s American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Gouache

1950s "Black Floor" Mid Century Bay Area Figurative Movement Gouache Painting
1950s "Black Floor" Mid Century Bay Area Figurative Movement Gouache Painting

1950s "Black Floor" Mid Century Bay Area Figurative Movement Gouache Painting, c. 1950

$500

H 18 in W 15 in

1950s "Black Floor" Mid Century Bay Area Figurative Movement Gouache Painting

Located in Arp, TX

From the estate of Jerry Opper & Ruth Friedman Opper Black Floor c. 1940-1950's Gouache on Paper 15" x 18" Unframed *Custom framing available for additional charge. Please expect framing time between 3-5 weeks. From the estate of Ruth Friedmann Opper & Jerry Opper. Ruth was the daughter of Bauhaus artist, Gustav Friedmann. San Francisco Abstract Expression A free-spirited wave of creative energy swept through the San Francisco art community after World War II. Challenging accepted modes of painting, Abstract Expressionists produced highly experimental works that jolted the public out of its postwar complacency. Abstract Expressionism resulted from a broad collective impulse rather than the inspiration of a small band of New York artists. Documenting the interchanges between the East and West Coasts, she cites areas of mutual influence and shows the impact of San Francisco on the New York School, including artists such as Mark Rothko and Ad Reinhardt. San Francisco's Beat poets...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

The Dacha. Contemporary Painting

Carola RichardsThe Dacha. Contemporary Painting, circa 1990

$750

H 19.25 in W 24 in

The Dacha. Contemporary Painting

By Carola Richards

Located in Brecon, Powys

Early work was impressionistic and hard abstract. Carola later developed a more mature way of working in a colourful exploration of the subject. Colour was her main interest and she...

Category

1990s Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Oil, Gouache

Mid-Century Gouache Painting, American Modern, Circa 1950
Mid-Century Gouache Painting, American Modern, Circa 1950

Mid-Century Gouache Painting, American Modern, Circa 1950, c. 1950

$500

H 18 in W 15 in

Mid-Century Gouache Painting, American Modern, Circa 1950

Located in Arp, TX

From the estate of Jerry Opper & Ruth Friedmann Opper Slit c. 1940-1950's Gouache on Paper 15" x 18", Unframed *Custom framing available for additional charge. Please expect fra...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Glassblowers WPA American Scene Mid- 20th Century Modern Figurative Workers 1932
Glassblowers WPA American Scene Mid- 20th Century Modern Figurative Workers 1932

Harry GottliebGlassblowers WPA American Scene Mid- 20th Century Modern Figurative Workers 1932, 1932

$4,400

H 21 in W 26 in D 2 in

Glassblowers WPA American Scene Mid- 20th Century Modern Figurative Workers 1932

By Harry Gottlieb

Located in New York, NY

Glassblowers WPA American Scene Mid- 20th Century Modern Figurative Workers. Dated and signed "32 Harry Gottlieb" lower right. Sight: 13 1/8" H x 18 1/4" W. Harry Gottlieb, painter, screenprinter, educator, and lithographer, was born in Bucharest, Rumania. He emigrated to America in 1907, and his family settled in Minneapolis. From 1915 to 1917, Gottlieb attended the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. After a short stint as an illustrator for the U.S. Navy, Gottlieb moved to New York City; he became a scenic and costume designer for Eugene O"Neill's Provincetown Theater Group. He also studied at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts and the National Academy of Design. He was one of America's first Social Realist painters, influenced by that Robert Henri-led movement in New York City where Gottlieb settled in 1918. He was also a pioneer in screen printing, which he learned while working for the WPA. He married Eugenie Gershoy, and the couple joined the artist colony at Woodstock, New York. He lectured widely on art education. In 1923, Gottlieb settled in Woodstock, New York and in 1931, spent a a year abroad studying under a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 1935, he joined the Federal Art Project...

Category

1930s American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Vogue Magazine Cover, Alternate Ink Gouache Watercolor, 1990s
Vogue Magazine Cover, Alternate Ink Gouache Watercolor, 1990s

Eugene BermanVogue Magazine Cover, Alternate Ink Gouache Watercolor, 1990s, 1948

$14,500

H 9.2 in W 12 in

Vogue Magazine Cover, Alternate Ink Gouache Watercolor, 1990s

By Eugene Berman

Located in Miami, FL

Alternative Cover work, Ink, Gouache, Watercolor on paper Initialed and dated lower center h: 9.2 x w: 12 in / h: 23.4 x w: 30.5 cm Worth Avenue Galle...

Category

1990s American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Gouache, India Ink, Watercolor

Adolf Dehn - Haitian Scene #7 Signed Mid Century modern painting, Assoc AA label
Adolf Dehn - Haitian Scene #7 Signed Mid Century modern painting, Assoc AA label

Adolf DehnAdolf Dehn - Haitian Scene #7 Signed Mid Century modern painting, Assoc AA label, 1951

$2,800

H 13.25 in W 11.25 in D 0.5 in

Adolf Dehn - Haitian Scene #7 Signed Mid Century modern painting, Assoc AA label

By Adolf Dehn

Located in New York, NY

Adolf Arthur Dehn Haitian Scene #7, ca. 1951 Watercolor gouache, hand signed; framed with AAA Gallery label verso Signed on the front bearing the original label on the verso of Dehn'...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Watercolor, Gouache

“Jeune Femme”
“Jeune Femme”

Suzanne Eisendieck“Jeune Femme”, Circa 1970

$1,400

H 20 in Dm 16 in

“Jeune Femme”

By Suzanne Eisendieck

Located in Southampton, NY

Original watercolor and gouache painting of a young girl attributed to the hand of Suzanne Eisendieck. No visible signature. Condition is excellent. Circa 1970. Presently unframed. ...

Category

1970s Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor

1950s "Eve" American Modern MidCentury Figurative Gouache & Oil Pastel
1950s "Eve" American Modern MidCentury Figurative Gouache & Oil Pastel

Donald Stacy1950s "Eve" American Modern MidCentury Figurative Gouache & Oil Pastel, c. 1950s

$1,200

H 17.75 in W 14.75 in

1950s "Eve" American Modern MidCentury Figurative Gouache & Oil Pastel

By Donald Stacy

Located in Arp, TX

Donald Stacy "Eve" c.1950s Gouache and oil pastel on paper 14x17" black wood frame 14.75"x17.75" Unsigned, Eve written in paint along right margin Came from artist's estate Donald S...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Oil Pastel

Suzanna and the Elders, American Watercolor, Signed, 1940s
Suzanna and the Elders, American Watercolor, Signed, 1940s

Ben ShahnSuzanna and the Elders, American Watercolor, Signed, 1940s, 1948

$40,000

H 22.5 in W 31.5 in

Suzanna and the Elders, American Watercolor, Signed, 1940s

By Ben Shahn

Located in Miami, FL

A modern interpretation of the biblical story Suzanna and the Elders. Signed lower right Ink and wash on paper The Downtown Gallery Felix Landau Gallery Ernest Brown & Phillips, Ltd...

Category

1940s American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper

1950s "Pink Lady" Mid Century Gouache Female Nude Painting
1950s "Pink Lady" Mid Century Gouache Female Nude Painting

1950s "Pink Lady" Mid Century Gouache Female Nude Painting, 1950s

$680

H 18 in W 15 in

1950s "Pink Lady" Mid Century Gouache Female Nude Painting

Located in Arp, TX

From the estate of Jerry Opper & Ruth Friedman Opper Pink Lady c. 1940-1950's Gouache on Paper 15" x 18", Unframed $1000 *Custom framing available for additional charge. Please expect framing time between 3-5 weeks. From the estate of Ruth Friedmann Opper & Jerry Opper. Ruth was the daughter of Bauhaus artist, Gustav Friedmann...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

"Union Square" NYC American Scene Social Realism Modernism WPA Mid-20th Century
"Union Square" NYC American Scene Social Realism Modernism WPA Mid-20th Century

Agnes Hart"Union Square" NYC American Scene Social Realism Modernism WPA Mid-20th Century, 1940

$18,000

H 26 in W 33 in

"Union Square" NYC American Scene Social Realism Modernism WPA Mid-20th Century

By Agnes Hart

Located in New York, NY

"Union Square" NYC American Scene Social Realism Modernism WPA Mid-20th Century Agnes Hart (American, 1912-1979) "Union Square, New York City" Sight: 14 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches Gouache...

Category

1940s American Modern Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Board

Previously Available Items
Makeup by Jacob Lawrence
Makeup by Jacob Lawrence

Jacob LawrenceMakeup by Jacob Lawrence, 1952

Sold

H 30 in W 34 in D 1.5 in

Makeup by Jacob Lawrence

By Jacob Lawrence

Located in New Orleans, LA

Jacob Lawrence 1917-2000 American Makeup Signed (lower right) Tempera on board Inspired by the famed Apollo Theatre in Harlem, Jacob Lawrence’s mast...

Category

20th Century Post-Impressionist Jacob Lawrence Paintings

Materials

Tempera, Board

Jacob Lawrence paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Jacob Lawrence paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Jacob Lawrence in paint, board, gouache and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Post-Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Jacob Lawrence paintings, so small editions measuring 22 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Donald Roy Purdy, Charles Levier, and Lorraine Fox. Jacob Lawrence paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $743,750 and tops out at $743,750, while the average work can sell for $743,750.

Artists Similar to Jacob Lawrence

Alexander Calder
Shop All Alexander Calder Paintings
Bernard Krigstein
Shop All Bernard Krigstein Paintings
Ervin B. Nussbaum
Shop All Ervin B. Nussbaum Paintings
Patricia Gren Hayes
Shop All Patricia Gren Hayes Paintings
Donald S. Vogel
Shop All Donald S. Vogel Paintings
Nahum Tschacbasov
Shop All Nahum Tschacbasov Paintings
Seymour Chwast
Shop All Seymour Chwast Paintings
Wayne Timm
Shop All Wayne Timm Paintings
Molly E. Brubaker
Shop All Molly E. Brubaker Paintings

Questions About Jacob Lawrence Paintings

  • What was Jacob Lawrence known for?

    1 Answer
    1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    Jacob Lawrence was known for being one of the first Black artists to receive national acclaim in the United States. His narrative paintings include pieces on Black historical figures, World War II and civil rights. His most famous work — The Migration Series — focuses on the Great Migration of Black Americans from the agricultural South to the industrial North between 1910 and 1940. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Jacob Lawrence art.

  • What style of art is Jacob Lawrence known for?

    1 Answer
    1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Dynamic cubism is the style that American artist Jacob Lawrence is known for. Lawrence coined the term himself to describe the repeated patterns and vivid colors that defined his works. To produce his paintings, he largely drew inspiration from Harlem, New York. Find a selection of Jacob Lawrence on 1stDibs.

  • How did Jacob Lawrence use Social Realism in his artwork?

    1 Answer
    1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024
    In his artwork, Jacob Lawrence used Social Realism to portray the everyday lived experiences of Black Americans. His most famous work is The Migration Series, a narrative piece of 60 18-by-12-inch hardboard panels focused on the Great Migration of Black Americans from the agricultural South to the industrial North between 1910 and 1940. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of Jacob Lawrence art.

More Jacob Lawrence Art

Jacob Lawrence Prints and Multiples
Jacob Lawrence Figurative Prints
Jacob Lawrence Landscape Prints
Jacob Lawrence Interior Prints
View All Popular Paintings Searches