The present work is the first of two maquettes for a mural Jacob Lawrence designed for the Times Square subway station in New York, which was his last public work. The mural was commisioned in 1991 by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Arts for Transit program. The final design was installed as a 36 feet wide mosaic tile work by Miotto Mosaics, Inc. in 2001, where it still hangs on the mezzannine level near the Shuttle train. Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence worked closely on the mural installation after the artist's passing.
“We tend to deprecate art. We don’t appreciate art. Jazz musicians starve to death. […] Same for our painters. […] Part of our work is to honor these so deserving people. And Jacob, he deserves our highest regard. He’s up there in the pantheon of the greats of American art and culture.” – Rev. Jesse Jackson, in an interview with Christie’s, February 2014.
Related Articles
Sorry, we are unable to display this content. Please check your connection.
More from
Jacob Lawrence: Works from the Collection of the Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Trust
You have agreed to be bound by the Conditions of Sale and if your bid is successful, you are legally obliged to pay for the lot you have won. The purchase price for a successful bid will be the sum of your final bid plus a buyer’s premium, any applicable taxes and any artist resale royalty, exclusive of shipping-related expenses.
Condition report
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
The work is hinged in four places from the reverse along the upper edege. On the reverse there are remnants of tape and adhesive from a prior presentation along the extreme edges. The extreme left and right edges of the paper are uneven. The paper appears to be slightly buckled. The margins contain the artist's notations in pencil. There is a thin horizontal surface scratch about 3 inches long in the upper center and a thin diagonal surface scratch about 4 inches in the lower left quardrant. There is some soiling to the paper in the margins and the paper appears slightly toned throughout. There is a 4 x 23¼ in. intentionally removed portion of paper in the margin along the lower edge.
Print Report
Cost calculator
Enter your bid amount for an estimated cost
Bid amount
Please enter numbers onlyAmount must be higher than the starting bidAmount must be higher than the current bid