Windows 1977

Jacob Lawrence made "Windows" and he did so with tempera paint. The palette is earthy browns, bright reds, and blues. It's a painting filled with people on the move, a bustling street scene. I love that Lawrence chose tempera, it's such an immediate, no-nonsense medium, forcing you to be direct and decisive. I see him laying down these flat planes of color, each shape carefully considered, building up the composition like a mosaic. What's particularly striking to me is the bold use of color. That intense blue doorway and the striking red figure in the middle. These choices aren't just decorative, they're like emotional cues, drawing us into the heart of the scene. It's as if Lawrence is saying, "Here, look closely, feel the energy of this place, of these people." Lawrence, like all artists, was in conversation with the world, responding to it, interpreting it, and giving it back to us in his own unique way. The simplicity and boldness, makes you think about life and how we choose to live it.