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: gold helmet, wristlets, briefs, and slippers

Case of Philip Lawrence: gold helmet, wristlets, briefs, and slippers (1934-1943)

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

Standard, 1247 x 1800px JPG, Size: 1.38 MB

Download

Max Size, 3745 x 5406px JPG, Size: 9.07 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)

Class of ’29

Class of ’29 (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Puppet Pageant

Puppet Pageant (1934-1943)

Anonymous
These Few Ashes

These Few Ashes (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Miles Glorious

Miles Glorious (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Looking Backward: Blue dress trimmed with lace

Looking Backward: Blue dress trimmed with lace (1934-1943)

E. Elliott
New York Fireman: Red military coat, green trousers, purple sash, green helmet

New York Fireman: Red military coat, green trousers, purple sash, green helmet (1934-1943)

Lucie Gilligan
Earthly Paradise: Madam Fleming

Earthly Paradise: Madam Fleming (1934-1943)

John Glidden (American, 19th/20th century)
The Alcestis of Euripedes: Admetus’ Son

The Alcestis of Euripedes: Admetus’ Son (1934-1943)

John Glidden (American, 19th/20th century)
Shepherd’s Mystery: 3rd Shepherd

Shepherd’s Mystery: 3rd Shepherd (1934-1943)

Mary Merrill (American, 19th/20th century)
String Fever(marionette): Violin

String Fever(marionette): Violin (1934-1943)

Irving M. Reizes (American, 19th/20th century)
Seventh Heaven

Seventh Heaven (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Help Yourself

Help Yourself (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Aladdin: unidentified character 1

Aladdin: unidentified character 1 (1934-1943)

Sidney Carlyle (American, 19th/20th century)
The First Mrs. Fraser

The First Mrs. Fraser (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Summer Stage Festival

Summer Stage Festival (1934-1943)

Anonymous
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