Pontchartrain [preparatory drawing for panel C]
1997
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
colored pencil and pen on both sides of tracing paper [preparatory drawing for panel C]
Dimensions
48 x 30 in.
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Kathan Brown
Accession Number
2024.132.264
Art Historical Context
Robert Colescott's *Pontchartrain [preatory drawing for panel C (1997) offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative process of one of America's most provocative postwar painters. Born in 1925, Colescott was trailblazing African American artist known for his bold, satirical canvases that subverted Western art history by inserting Black figures into iconic narratives, blending humor, race, and cultural critique. This drawing, part of a larger multipanel work, likely draws its name from Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans—a site resonant with Southern history, identity, and perhaps personal ref...