Historical Scene

William H. Johnson, Historical Scene, ca. 1945, oil on hardboard (Masonite), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.646
Copied William H. Johnson, Historical Scene, ca. 1945, oil on hardboard (Masonite), 39 1⁄8 x 37 1⁄8 in. (99.3 x 94.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.646

Artwork Details

Title
Historical Scene
Artist
Date
ca. 1945
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
39 1⁄8 x 37 1⁄8 in. (99.3 x 94.3 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the Harmon Foundation
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on hardboard (Masonite)
Classifications
Subjects
  • History — United States
  • Still life — other — flag
  • African American
  • Architecture
  • Figure group
Object Number
1967.59.646
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1967.59.646

Artwork Description

The Rev. M. J. Divine (1876--1965), known as Father Divine, created the International Peace Mission Movement in the early twentieth century. A dynamic preacher, he advocated racial integration, universal peace, abstinence from alcohol and smoking, and celibacy. His followers lauded Father Divine as God incarnate and adhered to these strict tenets. His popularity skyrocketed during the Great Depression when, as part of its Holy Communion ritual, the Peace Mission hosted banquets that provided much needed food for followers and visitors.
 
In Historical Scene Johnson portrays Father Divine wearing a green suit with yellow socks and tie. His wife, Peninnah (Mother Divine), dressed in blue, stands opposite a group of devoted followers, called Mission Angels. The Peace Mission grew nationally and internationally throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Across the top half of the painting are buildings the Peace Mission used as communal homes or offices. The exuberant women and multiracial waving hands in the bottom corners were probably inspired by March of Time newsreel coverage of the Mission's 1936 rally in New York City.

Exhibitions

Media - 1967.59.1146 - SAAM-1967.59.1146_2 - 141130
Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice
March 8, 2024–September 10, 2024
Smithsonian American Art Museum
William H. Johnson's Fighters for Freedom series from the mid-1940s is a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers, and performers as well as international leaders working to bring peace to the world.