Untitled (Tropical scene)

Painting

-

Milwaukee Public Library

Name/Title

Untitled (Tropical scene)

Context

Richard Overton (1913-2010) was a visual and performing artist whose work elaborated key themes of the Black Arts Movement. The artist was a jazz musician and Ella Fitzgerald’s longtime musical director. Overton also worked at the Milwaukee Public Library. Overton’s long artistic career evidences the roots of the Black Arts Movement in Milwaukee before the 1960s, its persistence into the 21st century, and its national and international connections. This work in particular resonates with Frankie B. Cole’s “Red Tropical Circle” and Gerald Duane Coleman’s “Pride of the Bamboo Forest" which appear alongside it in the exhibit.

Collection

Wisconsin Art Collection, Artwork Collection

Acquisition

Accession

1992.1

Source or Donor

Richard T. Overton

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Artist

Richard T. Overton

Date made

circa 1980 - circa 1992

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Signature

Location

Lower right

Transcription

"RT Overton"

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Framed Size

Height

20-1/4 in

Width

16-1/4 in

Dimension Description

Image Size

Height

13-3/4 in

Width

10-1/2 in

Relationships

Related Publications

Notes

Materials pertaining to the artist are available in the Milwaukee Black Arts Movement digital collection: https://content.mpl.org/digital/collection/MkeBAM/.