Artvee
  • Browse
    • Abstract
    • Figurative
    • Landscape
    • Illustration
    • Posters
    • Religion
    • Mythology
    • Drawings
    • Still Life
    • Animals
    • Botanical
    • Asian Art
  • Books
  • Artists
  • Explore
    • Topics
    • Culture
    • Movements
  • Highlights
  • Collections
  • Galleries
  • Artvee Pro
Login
Artvee
Menu
Perry Watkins - Case of Philip Lawrence: Edna Guy red dress with cutouts

Case of Philip Lawrence: Edna Guy red dress with cutouts (1934-1943)

Perry Watkins (American, 1907-1974 )
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Favourite
Collect

Standard, 1341 x 1800px JPG, Size: 1.34 MB

Download

Max Size, 3784 x 5080px JPG, Size: 7.99 MB

Download
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)

Seventh Heaven

Seventh Heaven (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Vaudeville

Vaudeville (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Swing It: Orange bandeau top, matching shorts

Swing It: Orange bandeau top, matching shorts (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Fantasy 1939: ‘Immediate Comment’ blue trousers, gold belt, brown knit jacket

Fantasy 1939: ‘Immediate Comment’ blue trousers, gold belt, brown knit jacket (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Sunday

Sunday (1934-1943)

Anonymous
The Rivals: Mr. Wag

The Rivals: Mr. Wag (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Accent on Youth

Accent on Youth (1934-1943)

Anonymous
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Spain Costume

Spain Costume (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Circus: unidentified character

Circus: unidentified character (1934-1943)

Robert Byrne (American, 19th/20th century)
Winter’s Tale: Leontes

Winter’s Tale: Leontes (1934-1943)

William Perkins (American, 19th/20th century)
No More Peace: White halter top with white double layer skirt, and angel wings

No More Peace: White halter top with white double layer skirt, and angel wings (1934-1943)

Barry Farnol (American, 1908-1989)
Iolanthe

Iolanthe (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Help Yourself

Help Yourself (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Candide: Candide green and purple cape

Candide: Candide green and purple cape (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
View all 1212 Artworks

0 Artworks
Follow
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Favourite
Collect

Standard, JPG, Size:

Download

Max Size, JPG, Size:

Download
License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects. .
Why is this image in the public domain?
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact us
Artvee.com 2024 All Rights Reserved
We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies.
More info Accept
  • Sign in
  • Browse
    • Abstract
    • Figurative
    • Landscape
    • Illustration
    • Posters
    • Religion
    • Mythology
    • Drawings
    • Still Life
    • Animals
    • Botanical
    • Asian Art
  • Artists
  • Books
  • Explore
    • Topics
    • Culture
    • Movements
  • Highlights
  • Collections
  • Galleries
  • Artvee Pro