The Wonder of Assirea 310 B.C. (recto); Untitled (verso)

Joseph YoakumWW-1906-041826

1906·Watercolor and blue ballpoint pen (recto); graphite (verso) on cream wove paper·27.9 × 21.6 cm (11 × 8 9/16 in.)

<p>The source of this subject is not certain. Knowing of Yoakum's circus experiences it is possible that the artist modeled the "Wonder of Assirea" after a performer whom he knew or had seen. Whatever the source, Yoakum drew no fewer than four versions of this subject, all of which are documented in Whitney Halstead's archive of slides made from Yoakum's drawings.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 1906
Medium: Watercolor and blue ballpoint pen (recto); graphite (verso) on cream wove paper
Dimensions: 27.9 × 21.6 cm (11 × 8 9/16 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: Joseph Yoakum

Artist

Joseph Yoakum

Drawing

Joseph Elmer Yoakum was an American self-taught painter. He was of African-American and possibly of Native American–descent, and was known for his landscape paintings in the outsider art-style. He was age 76 when he started to record his memories in the form of imaginary landscapes and produced over 2,000 drawings during the last decade of his life.

Window Rock, AZ, USA

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1972 · Blue felt-tip pen and pastel on cream wove paper

WW-1972-041836