The artwork titled “Three Friends,” created by William H. Johnson in 1945, falls under the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and is classified as a portrait.
In the artwork, three stylized figures are depicted closely together. The central theme focuses on the strong, simplified forms and vibrant, block colors characteristic of Naïve Art. Each figure exhibits a distinct facial expression with exaggerated eyes and lips, contributing to the portrait’s unique, almost abstract quality. The use of bold and contrasting hues, such as purple, green, and red in their clothing and headgear, adds to the composition’s overall vivid and engaging aesthetic. This work encapsulates the artist’s distinctive approach to portraying human relationships through a lens of expressive simplicity.
