The artwork, titled “Magic in Medicine,” was created by Charles Alston in 1940. Part of the Harlem Hospital Murals series, this piece belongs to the Muralism movement and falls under the genre of mural and genre painting.
The artwork portrays a dynamic array of scenes, emphasizing the intersection between traditional and modern medicine. Dominating the central composition is a large, sculptural figure that seems to oversee various medical practices, symbolizing perhaps the spirit or heritage of healing. The mural depicts various individuals engaged in different aspects of medical care, highlighting the cultural and communal approach to healing. The background and figures are rendered in earthy tones, creating a sense of organic unity and grounding the scene in a timeless narrative. The composition is framed by an archway, which lends the piece a monumental and reverent quality.
