The artwork, entitled “Gone, An Historical Romance of a Civil War as It Occurred Between the Dusky Thighs of One Young Negress and Her Heart,” was created by artist Kara Walker in 1994. It belongs to the Feminist Art movement and is categorized as a figurative genre piece.
The artwork is a large-scale mural that features intricate black silhouettes against a stark, white background, effectively leveraging the high contrast to highlight its evocative subject matter. The composition includes various scenes that depict interactions between figures, often characterized by historical and racial themes, portrayed in a stylized and somewhat exaggerated manner. The silhouettes maintain a narrative quality, as the characters are posed in dynamic and, at times, dramatic interactions, each contributing to the overall historical and emotional context of the piece. The figures, although devoid of detailed facial features, are expressive and convey a spectrum of actions and emotions. The meticulous silhouette craft, along with the complex interplay of figures, underscores the thematic and narrative depth of the artwork.
