Artist: Charles T Webber

Title: Underground Railroad

Date: 1893

Medium: oil on canvas

Provenance: Cincinnati, Ohio

Source: https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/asset-viewer/the-underground-railroad/cwGRLw8raEDwOg?projectId=art-project

Description: It is snowing. There are horses. People are being helped. There is a house in the back left corner. There is a tree covered in snow. 

Analysis of Elements of Art/Principles of Design

Texture: The artist utilizes texture with the snow. The way they designed the snow flurries you can see the texture on the clothes of the people, on the animals, and on the roof of the house. 

Value: Snow appears very light whereas, the horses and people have deeper coloring. 

Space: The artist fills all of the negative space in this piece with snow on the ground or a sunset in the sky. Most of the piece is positive space where the African Americans are being assisted. 

Contrast: The light coloring of the snow contrasts with the rich colors of the people in this piece. 

Movement: All of the people appear to be walking towards the left corner of the piece. My eye is immediately drawn toward the back of the piece where the people are dismounting horses and is then led to the direction the people are walking. 

Interpretation: 

Shape of the people can be described as an organic shape. The artist uses free flowing lines to make the movement and bodies of the people realistic. These shapes create a sense of realism in the piece. Personally, the shapes help me to interpret the intent behind the piece. Viewers can see the people helping to unload from what looks like a long journey off the Underground Railroad. 

Judgment: 

I do feel drawn into this piece because because I feel strongly about abolition during this dark time period of our country. The artist makes the viewer see that the the African Americans have been struggling and there are kind people taking risks to help them. Because of the historical aspects and  art incorporated to create realism, the artist visually pleases the viewers.