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Perry Watkins - Jack and the Beanstalk: Props 2 (Cello, Hen, Crossbow, Rain Barrel)

Jack and the Beanstalk: Props 2 (Cello, Hen, Crossbow, Rain Barrel) (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)

Pinocchio: Tumbler

Pinocchio: Tumbler (1934-1943)

Paul Cadorette (American, 20th Century)
A Moral Entertainment

A Moral Entertainment (1934-1943)

Anonymous
String Fever(marionette): Trumpet

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

Irving M. Reizes (American, 19th/20th century)
Uriel Acosta

Uriel Acosta (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Winter’s Tale: Archidamus

Winter’s Tale: Archidamus (1934-1943)

William Perkins (American, 19th/20th century)
Mother Goose Goes to Town: Mother Hubbard: The Dog: Witch: Queen:

Mother Goose Goes to Town: Mother Hubbard: The Dog: Witch: Queen: (1934-1943)

Robert Byrne (American, 19th/20th century)
An Exhibition

An Exhibition (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Another Language: Unidentified Character and Hostess

Another Language: Unidentified Character and Hostess (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Swing It. Blanche Young. Pink dress with yellow ruffles

Swing It. Blanche Young. Pink dress with yellow ruffles (1934-1943)

Maxine Borowsky (American, 20th Century)
Big White Fog

Big White Fog (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Young Tramps: Wooden figure with hollow and jointed limbs

Young Tramps: Wooden figure with hollow and jointed limbs (1934-1943)

Walter Walden (American, 20th Century)
Abstract Colors

Abstract Colors (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Room Service

Room Service (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Vaudeville

Vaudeville (1934-1943)

Anonymous
A Christmas Carol: Fred

A Christmas Carol: Fred (1934-1943)

Buell Fuller (American, 19th/20th century)
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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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