William H. Johnson (artist)

For other people named William Johnson, see William Johnson (disambiguation).

William H. Johnson
Black-and-white photo of Johnson wearing a hat and sitting on a chair with his hands on his lap.
Johnson in 1951
Born
William Henry Johnson

(1901-03-18)March 18, 1901
Florence, South Carolina
DiedApril 13, 1970(1970-04-13) (aged 69)
Central Islip, New York
NationalityAmerican
SpouseHolcha Krake
AwardsHarmon Foundation Gold Medal for Excellence in Fine Arts[1][2]
Patron(s)Charles Hawthorne

William Henry Johnson (March 18, 1901 – April 13, 1970) was an American painter. Born in Florence, South Carolina, he became a student at the National Academy of Design in New York City, working with Charles Webster Hawthorne. He later lived and worked in France, where he was exposed to modernism. After Johnson married Danish textile artist Holcha Krake, the couple lived for some time in Scandinavia. There he was influenced by the strong folk art tradition. The couple moved to the United States in 1938. Johnson eventually found work as a teacher at the Harlem Community Art Center, through the Federal Art Project.

Johnson's style evolved from realism to expressionism to a powerful folk style, for which he is best known. A substantial collection of his paintings, watercolors, and prints is held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which has organized and circulated major exhibitions of his works.

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  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Florence3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).