Aaron Douglass Aspiration Analysis

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A truly exquisite work of art would both be aesthetically appealing as well as morally empowering. The painting Aspiration by Aaron Douglas achieves these two things. Aaron Douglas was a prominent art figure in the Harlem Renaissance, the time period in which there was an artistic; intellectual; and literary explosion that sparked a new black cultural identity. The majority of his artworks contain many central ideas from the Harlem Renaissance. Aspiration is one of the strongest pieces of art Douglas produced. When viewing Aspiration, one can observe that the painting contains many central ideas from the Harlem Renaissance. Aspiration includes ideas from African-Americans’ shared heritage and cultural identity, the progression from slavery …show more content…

One representation of this is the standing figures. These two figures are standing confidently while holding attributes of education and gazing at the futuristic city. This symbolizes the fact that Great Migration was a time where African-Americans weren't afraid to educate themselves and move to the North to pursue a better future. Also, the reaching arms at the bottom of the painting are another representation of the Great Migration. These reaching arms that symbolize shackled arms of slaves represent the South. At the bottom of the painting, the arms represent how African-Americans left the place that was dragging them down to pursue dreams that could put them on top. The third example of how Aspiration includes ideas from the Great Migration is seen in the city on the hill with a large factory and skyscrapers. This city represents the industrial North that African-Americans were migrating to during the Great Migration. The city is placed on top of a hill and is located on the top of the painting to represent how African-Americans believed the industrial North offered countless opportunities for people of color. To conclude, the two standing figures, the reaching arms at the bottom of the painting, and the city on the hill are three examples of how Aspiration includes ideas from the Great Migration; Aspiration also incorporates ideas from African-Americans’ shared heritage and cultural identity and the progression

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