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Perry Watkins - Androcles and the Lion: 1st Slave

Androcles and the Lion: 1st Slave (1934-1943)

Perry Watkins (American, 1907-1974 )
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License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects.
Why is this image in the public domain?
This work was commissioned by the United States federal government as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program. It is not subject to copyright protection.

Perry Watkins was the first African American set designer on Broadway. He was also a stage painter, makeup and costume artist, producer, and film art director.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island on April 13, 1907, Watkins attended Hope High School where he and a friend hand wrote and decorated a daily newspaper called “The Foolscape.” Awarded a scholarship to study art at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1926, he studied figure drawing under Vincent Bernasconi and still life under Asa G. Randall, the school’s most prominent artists.

Despite having his paintings displayed at the Springfield (Massachusetts) Museum and the Providence Art Club, he struggled financially and worked as a waiter, chauffeur, insurance salesman, reporter, draftsmen, and commercial illustrator. By 1936, unemployed and broke, he applied to the Federal Theatre Project with a sample production, and was quickly employed.

Starting as a stagehand and becoming assistant technical director at Lafayette Theatre in New York City, he began a flurry of work, painting drops, dying costumes, and operating the lighting for several shows.

In 1939 Watkins made a breakthrough, becoming the first black Broadway set designer when he was commissioned by Guthrie McClintock for Mamba’s Daughters.

As a result of the show’s incredible success and a recommendation by Robert Edmond Jones, Watkins was permitted to take the drafting and art exam for admission into the Set Designer’s Union. He passed it easily and became the first African American to be admitted. In 1939 he taught in the Rose McClendon Workshop Theatre and the following year designed the set for the revival of The Big White Fog at Lincoln Theatre in Harlem.

Later in life he ventured into film and television, working on art direction and design for films such as Hercules in New York (1969) which debuted Arnold Schwarzenegger, Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972), the critically acclaimed blaxploitation film Across 110th Street (1972), and Gordon’s War (1973).

Perry Robert Watkins passed away August 14, 1974 in New York City at the age of 66.

In Collection: Federal Theatre Project (View all 1212)

Johnny Johnson 9

Johnny Johnson 9 (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Valley Forge: Captain in Colonial Costume for Ball

Valley Forge: Captain in Colonial Costume for Ball (1934-1943)

Fuerst
String Fever(marionette): Clown for Pantomime

String Fever(marionette): Clown for Pantomime (1934-1943)

Hope Shippee (American, 1908-1978)
The Girl from Pest

The Girl from Pest (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Created Equal: Sketch no. 16, Lantern Slide (Green Shape)

Created Equal: Sketch no. 16, Lantern Slide (Green Shape) (1934-1943)

Paul Cadorette (American, 20th Century)
Sleeping Beauty: Blue gown with white front panel and red ribbons

Sleeping Beauty: Blue gown with white front panel and red ribbons (1934-1943)

John Glidden (American, 19th/20th century)
Iolanthe: Phyllis orange dress with white ruffled neckline, and white apron

Iolanthe: Phyllis orange dress with white ruffled neckline, and white apron (1934-1943)

Emile Stoner (American, 19th/20th century)
The Warrior’s Husband: Sketch no. 1, Act 2 (Tent, Wall, Hills)

The Warrior’s Husband: Sketch no. 1, Act 2 (Tent, Wall, Hills) (1934-1943)

C. Gilbert Erickson
Candide: Don Fernando Wearing black, white, and red costume with hat

Candide: Don Fernando Wearing black, white, and red costume with hat (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Circus: unidentified character

Circus: unidentified character (1934-1943)

Robert Byrne (American, 19th/20th century)
To the Ladies!

To the Ladies! (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Life and Death of an American: Mary white ruffled dress, straw flowered hat, pink ribbons

Life and Death of an American: Mary white ruffled dress, straw flowered hat, pink ribbons (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Trial by Jury: Bridesmaid. Yellow gown with puffed waist. Yellow hat with red ribbons

Trial by Jury: Bridesmaid. Yellow gown with puffed waist. Yellow hat with red ribbons (1934-1943)

Emile Stoner (American, 19th/20th century)
Vodvil Music Drama

Vodvil Music Drama (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Sleeping Beauty: Witch. White gown with black coat, and high collar

Sleeping Beauty: Witch. White gown with black coat, and high collar (1934-1943)

John Glidden (American, 19th/20th century)
View all 1212 Artworks

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License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects.
Why is this image in the public domain?
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