James Lesesne Wells
A Legacy of Print and Pedagogy James Lesesne Wells was an African American graphic artist, printmaker, and painter associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Atlanta, United States, he began his artistic journey by assisting his mother with her kindergarten art class. His early talent was recognized at the age of thirteen when he won prizes in painting and woodworking at the Florida State Fair. After studying at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and Teachers College, Columbia University, he furthered his education at the National Academy of Design. His professional career was marked…
The Subject Atlas
A chart of James Lesesne Wells's corpus mapped not by date but by subject. Spokes are what they painted; rings are when; and the threads between stars reveal the patrons and places that secretly connect them.
Spokes — Subject
Each arm of the atlas gathers works by what they depict: portraits, sacred scenes, mythologies, and the scientific studies. Click a spoke to swing that cluster to the top.
Rings — Career Period
Distance from the center marks time. The innermost ring is the earliest period; the outermost, the final years. Style matures as you move outward.
Threads — Shared Context
Coloured lines link works bound by the same patron, commission, or theme. Trace a context to watch related clusters light up across subjects.