An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
Cabin in the CottonHorace Pippin (American, 1888–1946)
c. 1931–37
United States
51 × 85 cm (20 × 33 1/2 in.)
Oil on cotton mounted on Masonite
Purchased with funds provided by Thomas F. Pick and Mary P. Hines in memory of their mother Frances W. Pick
['Modernism']
['landscapes', 'animals', 'architecture', 'birds', 'clouds', 'farm life', 'painting', 'rural life', 'trees']
['oil on panel', 'painting', 'modern and contemporary art']
['oil paint (paint)', 'cotton (textile)', 'Masonite (TM)']
['oil painting', 'painting (image making)']
['African American artists', 'African Diaspora']
Constructed of dense, thick layers of paint, Cabin in the Cotton exemplifies the tactile and vivid style of selftaught artist Horace Pippin. At a southern homestead, an older woman cares for a young child. Beyond, an expansive field of cotton evokes the hard labor, likely that of family members, required to harvest the crop. Pippin turned to painting as a mode of rehabilitation after injuring his arm while serving in World War I. Born in Pennsylvania, the artist’s interpretation of cotton fields drew upon a visit to South Carolina with his regiment in 1917. Popular culture also may have informed his work: “Cabin in the Cotton” was the title of both a song and a film in the 1930s. On view in a shoe repair shop outside Philadelphia in 1937, the composition caught the attention of artists, critics, and gallerists, winning Pippin wide acclaim and furthering his career.
| attributed to Art Institute of Chicago under CC-By license
In a world of layers and texture, where each brushstroke tells a story of resilience, we find ourselves drawn into the canvas of Horace Pippin's "Cabin in the Cotton." The painting is a robust creation, its dense and thick layers of paint inviting us to reach out and touch the essence of life that it captures so vividly.
Set against the backdrop of a humble southern homestead, an older woman lovingly tends to a small child, their figures bold and full of life. The warmth of the scene embodies care and nurture, an oasis amidst the sprawling cotton fields that stretch endlessly beyond them. These fields are not mere backdrops; they sing of labor and persistence, echoing the stories of countless family members who have toiled under the sun, their sweat nourishing the very soil that cradles their harvest.
We learn that Pippin, the self-taught artist born in Pennsylvania, turned to painting as a sanctuary, a mode of rehabilitation following a war injury to his arm during World War I. His brush became a voice, a way to reclaim his spirit and share the narratives of his journey. It was during a visit to South Carolina with his regiment in 1917 that the seeds for "Cabin in the Cotton" were sown, inspired by the fields he witnessed there, deeply rooted in his memory.
Pippin’s work didn’t exist in a vacuum; it was shaped by the cultural tapestry of his time. Notably, “Cabin in the Cotton” was also the title of a song and a film that captured the essence of southern life in the 1930s, influencing his creation in both subtle and resonant ways.
Then, in 1937, in an unassuming shoe repair shop outside Philadelphia, this vibrant composition made its debut. Observers—artists, critics, gallerists—were inevitably ensnared by its powerful portrayal. The painting blossomed into a conversation piece, garnering acclaim and breathing life into Pippin’s career, forever changing his trajectory as an artist.
As we stand with Pippin, we reflect on the cotton fields that symbolize not just toil, but love, family, and the undying spirit of those who labor. "Cabin in the Cotton" is not merely an image; it is a narrative that reverberates through history, connecting us all like the threads of cotton woven together in unity.
About the artist
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