Nancy Elizabeth Prophet
1890–1960
A revered sculptor of the early twentieth century, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet was one of the first African American women to establish a critically recognized career as an artist. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Prophet moved in 1922 to Paris, where she would remain for the next twelve years. There she found greater freedom from the societal obstacles she encountered in the United States, including opportunities to enter into the traditionally male- dominated field of sculpture. After studying at the École des Beaux-Arts, Prophet began to make portrait busts carved out of wood or stone. Unable to afford the cost of hiring a model, she often sculpted from her imagination, creating portraits of cultural or ethnic types rather than individuals.
Congolais, Prophet’s best-known work, is one of a series of busts she made in the late 1920s and early 1930s focused on African and African American figures. This cherrywood portrait of a Masai warrior reflects Prophet’s response to the New Negro Movement in the United States, which exhorted African American artists to study and emulate a wide range of African objects in order to develop a distinctive cultural style. Though inspired by examples of African art Prophet saw firsthand in Paris, Congolais represents a generalized figure (indeed, the work’s title refers to the Congolese nation of Central Africa rather than to the East African Masai tribe). By emphasizing the warrior’s expansive forehead and serene, contemplative expression, Prophet imbued Congolais with the universal values she sought to associate with African culture: poise, bravery, reason, and intellect.
Introduction
Nancy Elizabeth Prophet (born Nancy Elizabeth Profitt; March 19, 1890 – December 13, 1960) was an American artist of African-American and Native American ancestry, known for her sculpture. She was the first African-American graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1918 and later studied at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris during the early 1920s. She became noted for her work in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1934, Prophet began teaching at Spelman College, expanding the curriculum to include modeling and history of art and architecture. Prophet died in 1960 at the age of 70.
Prophet faced many struggles through her lifetime. Prophet had a difficult time financing her work and appealed to various foundations for funding and was often turned down. She also struggled with having her work exhibited and at times using the name Eli Prophet when she entered works into exhibition. Throughout her time in Paris, Prophet was constantly on the brink of starvation. Nevertheless, Prophet retained a strong work ethic passed down from her parents. A perfectionist who did all her own carving, her surviving output is small.
Wikidata identifier
Q3335569
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License . Accessed July 5, 2025.
Introduction
Born at the turn of the twentieth century, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet was a sculptor who graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1918. Though both were married, Prophet struck up a romantic relationship with W.E.B. Du Bois after she graduated from college. Prophet then traveled to further study in Paris in 1922 where she trained at L'Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts. During most of her career in Paris, Prophet struggled with poverty and hunger. She returned to the United States in 1934 to teach in Spelman College's art department, though she resented having to leave her Parisian studio. Prophet did not produce much art in her final two decades, and she passed away from a heart attack in 1960.
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, sculptor, teacher
ULAN identifier
500329392
Names
Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, Nancy E. Prophet
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed July 5, 2025.
