Introduction to Archibald Motley: Jazz Age Modernist

Narrator: Welcome to this exhibition, Archibald Motley: Jazz Age Modernist. Archibald Motley is best known for portraits, cityscapes, and paintings of jazz clubs. These were all popular subjects in American art during the 1920s, when Motley began his career. But unlike other American artists at the time, he mostly painted the African American community—especially in his hometown, Chicago.

Please walk into the first room of the exhibition—it’s full of vivid, realistic portraits.