Sharecropper

1952

Sharecropper, 1952. Elizabeth Catlett (American, 1915–2012). Color linoleum cut; sheet: 76.2 x 56.5 cm (30 x 22 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1996.289 © Catlett Mora Family Trust / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY Proud of her heritage—three of her grandparents had been slaves—the artist Elizabeth Catlett devoted her career to exposing persecution and commemorating the courage, endurance, and achievements of African American women. The sharecropper's worn but proud face is framed by a large straw hat, her jacket fastened by a safety pin. She embodies the suffering and strength of black women. The angularity of her features derives from West African masks, an influence Catlett purposefully evoked.