Elizabeth Catlett, born as Alice Elizabeth Catlett, (1915 – 2012) was an African American sculptor and graphic artist best known for her depictions of the Black-American experience in the 20th century, which often focused on the female experience.
She was born and raised in Washington, D.C., to parents working in education, and was the grandchild of formerly enslaved people. It was difficult for a black woman at this time to pursue a career as a working artist. Catlett devoted much of her career to teaching. However, a fellowship awarded to her in 1946 allowed her to travel to Mexico City, where she worked with the Taller de Gráfica Popular for twenty years and became head of the sculpture department for the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas. In the 1950s, her main means of artistic expression shifted from print to sculpture, though she never gave up the former.
Her work is a mixture of abstract and figurative in the Modernist tradition, with influence from African and Mexican art traditions. Catlett's work can be described as social realism, because of her dedication to the issues and experiences of African Americans. According to the artist, the main purpose of her work is to convey social messages rather than pure aesthetics. Her work is heavily studied by art students looking to depict race, gender and class issues. During her lifetime, Catlett received many awards and recognitions, including membership in the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, the Art Institute of Chicago Legends and Legacy Award, honorary doctorates from Pace University and Carnegie Mellon, and the International Sculpture Center's Lifetime Achievement Award in contemporary sculpture.
In 1940 Catlett became the first student to earn a master of fine arts degree in sculpture at the University of Iowa. The Regionalist painter Grant Wood, a professor at the university at the time, encouraged her to present images drawn from Black culture and experience and influenced her decision to concentrate on sculpture.
© 2022. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by Elizabeth Catlett or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only
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| Ms. Elizabeth Catlett |
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| African American, 2009 |
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| Keisha M., 2008 |
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| Mimi, 2007 |
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| Crusaders For Justice, 2001 |
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| Dancing, 1990 |
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| Two Generations, 1987 |
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| Latin America Says No, 1986 |
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| Survivor, 1983 |
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| Madonna, 1982 |
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| Roots, 1981 |
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| There Is A Woman In Every Color, 1975 |
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Harriet, 1975
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| Niña, 1957 |
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| Pan, 1952 |
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| La Presa, 1952 |
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| Sharecropper, 1952 |
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| I Have Studied in Ever Increasing Numbers, 1947 |
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I Have Given the World My Songs, 1947
from the series The Black Woman |
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| Special House, 1946 |
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1946 In the Fields…, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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In Other Folks’ Homes…, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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There are Bars Between Me and the Rest of the Land, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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My Role Has Been Important in the Struggle to Organize the Unorganized, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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In Sojourner Truth I Fought for the Rights of Women as well as Blacks, 1947
from the series The Black Woman |
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In Phillis Wheatley I Proved Intellectual Equality in the Midst of Slavery, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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In Harriet Tubman I Helped Hundreds to Freedom, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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I Have Special Reservations, 1946
from the series The Black Woman
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I Have Always Worked Hard in America, 1946
from the series The Black Woman |
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I Am The Black Woman, 1947
From the series The Black Woman |
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| Sharecropper, 1945 |
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| Mother and Child, 1945 |
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| Friends, 1944 |
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| War Worker, 1943 |
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