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Charles Henry Alston

Girl in a Red Dress

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SPECIAL EXHIBITION
Mexican Prints
On view through January 5, Mexican Prints at the Vanguard explores the rich tradition of printmaking in Mexico—from the 18th century to the mid-20th century—through works drawn mainly from the Museum’s collection.

About the Artwork

Girl in a Red Dress, 1934. Charles Henry Alston. Oil on canvas. Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift and George A. Hearn Fund, 2021. © Estate of Charles Henry Alston.
Art historian Richard Powell describes Girl in a Red Dress as an exemplary portrayal of the "New Negro" woman who is "defiantly black, beautiful, and feminine, yet also unsettled, mysterious, and utterly modern." Alston, a foundational figure of the Harlem Renaissance, depicts the young woman in a way that embodies the artist’s synthesis of African aesthetics (in this case resonant with Fang reliquary busts) and modernist pictorial flatness in portrayals of African American subjects. Her graceful, elongated neck and sculpturally rendered face, combined with stylized modern attire and a contemplative gaze to the side, convey an enigmatic affect in which the unnamed sitter is seemingly oblivious to the viewer. Representations such as this one manifest the Harlem Renaissance philosopher Alain Locke’s exhortation that "art must discover and reveal the beauty which prejudice and caricature have overlaid."

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About Our Prints

Quality
Met Custom Prints offers exclusive custom reproductions of artworks in The Met collection. Thanks to gallery-quality materials, we create prints as true to the original work as possible, using strict color management protocols and state-of-the-art printing technology.
Selection
This is the only place you’ll find reproductions approved by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. We are continually adding new artworks to our offering, so be sure to check back regularly as you build your own gallery. A variety of molding styles means our custom framed prints can match any type of decor.

Member Discounts

Met Members will receive their 15% discount for all Met Custom Prints purchases. If you are Member, when you check out enter your member ID and the last name associated with your membership; once your Membership has been validated, your discount will be applied. Member discounts cannot be combined with other offers.