Archibald Motley

Archibald Motley lived in Chicago, but he was one of the most important Harlem Renaissance painters, since he had many galleries in New York and paintings set there. They captured the life and energy of the New York Jazz Scene, though he infused some European style that he picked up on a trip to Paris. He often concentrated on skin tone and how it affected how one was perceived and the type of life they would have; this fascination was in many ways caused by the unfavorable reaction in both the African American and Caucasian communities about his marriage to a white woman.

His painting entitled "Nightlife" is pictured to the left. Archibald Motley completed it upon his return from Paris. It shows the Jazz Age and the new culture of the Harlem Renaissance. He wanted to portray black Americans in a new way, enjoying their own music scene and living a life of fun, beauty, and extravagance. "Nightlife" is a portrait of the Harlem Renaissance itself--it includes every ideal of the time period--the music, the thriving nightlife, the artistic experimentation, and a new life for the black community.