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Interior Scene

Jacob Lawrence

A companion painting to Street Scene – Restaurant, Interior Scene dispassionately shows white customers interacting with black prostitutes inside a filthy room. 

Despite this potentially raunchy scene, the image is cold, more focused on the business side of the arrangement than the sexual side. 

Lawrence’s refusal to make his figures detailed or realistic creates the impression that they are mere representations instead of actual portraits.  His simple style contrasts sharply with the complicated emotions often aroused by his choice of subject.

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Jacob Lawrence - Interior Scene

Jacob Lawrence, Interior Scene, 1937.  Tempera on paper, 28 x 33 ½ in.

Museum Purchase, Derby Fund, from the Philip J. and Suzanne Schiller Collection of American Social Commentary Art 1930-1970

Within Race Relations...
George Biddle Adolf Dehn Jacob Lawrence Jacob Lawrence Julius T. Bloch George Tooker

Race Relations Anti-Semitism Lynching
Spirituality Civil Rights
Romare Bearden
George Biddle
Julius T. Bloch
Adolf Dehn
Joseph Delaney
Boris Gorelick
Robert Gwathmey
Joe Jones
Jacob Lawrence
Louis Lozowick
Elijah Pierce
Ben Shahn
George Tooker
James Turnbull


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