The artwork titled “Nat Turner,” created by artist William H. Johnson in 1945, belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and is categorized as a history painting.
In this poignant historical depiction, the artwork presents a scene rooted in the harrowing narrative of Nat Turner, an enslaved man who led a rebellion. The central figure, rendered in a simplistic, yet powerful manner characteristic of Naïve Art, shows Nat Turner suspended from a tree, dressed in formal attire with a yellow vest. The background is divided into two distinct sections filled with crosses: white crosses on the left and variously colored crosses on the right, symbolizing graves and the loss of lives. A stark pink tree stands prominently, juxtaposed against the somber scene of twilight or dawn skies painted in shades of orange and yellow. The somber composition is completed with a rifle and an open book on the ground, emphasizing Turner’s connection to both violent resistance and intellectual pursuit. Through its simplistic lines and vibrant colors, the artwork captures the tragic and heroic essence of Nat Turner’s legacy within the African American history narrative.
