The artwork titled “Strike” was created by Jacob Lawrence in 1949 and belongs to the Cubism and Social Realism art movements. It is a genre painting that captures a moment of intense action in a baseball game.
In the artwork, the viewer’s attention is drawn to a dynamic and colorful depiction of a baseball scene. The composition is characterized by geometric forms and a vibrant palette that reflects the Cubist influence. At the center, a batter is captured in the midst of a powerful swing, his form emphasized by angular lines and bold colors. Adjacent to him, a catcher, adorned in red protective gear, is depicted with an expression of acute focus as he holds the glove ready to receive the ball. To the left of the catcher, another player is seated in a crouched position, seemingly in anticipation. The background features an audience blurred into a mosaic of abstract shapes and colors, emphasizing the collective energy of the scene. Lawrence’s use of simplified forms and strong contrast imbues the artwork with a sense of immediacy and movement, reflecting both the drama of the game and the broader social realities of the time.
