The artwork titled “African Woman – Study in Tunis,” created by William H. Johnson in 1932, falls within the Expressionism art movement and is classified as a sketch and study.
In this artwork, the figure of an African woman stands prominently against a fluid yet subdued background. The woman’s form is captured with strong, expressive strokes, which are characteristic of Expressionism, conveying her presence with a certain raw and earnest simplicity. She is adorned in a striped skirt and a headscarf, illustrated in bold colors that contrast with the muted greens and grays of her surroundings. Her posture, with one hand firmly placed on her hip, exudes a sense of resilience and quiet strength. The background remains abstract, which emphasizes the figure, allowing her to dominate the composition. The artist’s signature, “W.H. Johnson,” appears at the bottom right, affirming the artist’s personal touch to the study.
