Horace Pippin
Horace Pippin was the grandson of enslaved people and the son of a domestic worker and a laborer. Despite lacking formal artistic training, he completed his first oil painting in 1930 at the age of 43. Pippin sustained a serious injury to his right shoulder while serving in the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment during World War I. This injury forced him to adapt his painting technique, holding the brush in his right hand and guiding it with his left. With this meticulous approach, Pippin created artworks that reflected his war experiences, the domestic lives of African Americans he remembered from his childhood, outdoor scenes, still lifes, religious themes, and portraits.
In today's painting, Pippin demonstrated remarkable skill using a limited palette and an instinctive sense of design. Thin washes of white pigment depict a heavy snowfall, through which a country doctor guides his horse and covered cart, presumably en route to treat a patient. Pippin initially painted the snow a grayish tone but later repainted it brighter white—traces of the original gray can still be seen around his signature in the lower-right corner. The jagged slash of a small creek anchors the foreground, while the delicate patterns of bare tree branches emphasize the frigid, nocturnal setting. A clear path stretches into the distance, marked by footprints that trace the doctor’s journey. The painting celebrates the resilience and dedication of the rural country doctor.
P.S. Explore the unique art of Horace Pippin and the story of how he became famous.