Palmer Hayden was born in 1890 and died in 1970. Most of his art depicts myths, everyday life in Harlem and nightclubs. In every one of his pieces he shows an outstanding attention to detail. Most of his better-known pieces involve speakeasies and daily life in Harlem.
In the painting “ Harlem Streets” we get a small glimpse into Hayden’s view of a night on the Harlem streets. We see crowded buildings, guitar players, children and much more. I think this is Hayden’s way of trying to show what it was like for his people and how it differed from the whiter areas. However I don’t think this picture is showing what it was always like but rather what Harlem started to become near the end of the renaissance and into the 40’s.
This painting is a very interesting in the way it was constructed. Your eyes are instantly drawn to the center rather then the corners. I showed this painting to twenty people and twelve out of the twenty said when they saw this painting they felt sadness. I think this is a very inserting reaction to this painting since its original intention was to inspire a sense of understanding rather then sorrow.
Where's the painting?
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