Watch the Creation of Kehinde Wiley's First Series of Black Women's Portraits

Treisha Lowe, 2012 Oil on linen 96" x 72"
Kehinde Wiley's work has long been a celebration of black bodies in traditional portrait scenes. For much of his career, he painted primarily black and brown men; however, in 2012, he decided to challenge himself with a series of portraits of black women. Drawing inspiration from his usual sources, Wiley adorned the women in wigs and custom gowns for their sittings.  The entire process was captured in a documentary named for the series "Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace."  Mrs. Siddons, 2012 Oil on linen 72" x 60" Mrs. Waldorf Astor, 2012 Oil on linen 72" x 60"


Princess Victoire of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 2012 Oil on linen 96" x 72" The Two Sisters, 2012 Oil on linen 96" x 72" Mrs. Graham, 2012 Oil on canvas 30" x 24" Juliette Recamier, 2012
Oil on linen
72" x 96"
Judith and Holofernes, 2012 Oil on linen 120" x 90" Mary Litte, Later Lady Carr, 2012 Oil on canvas 30" x 24" Kancou Diaovno, 2012
Oil on canvas
30" x 24"
Ena Johnson, 2012 Oil on linen 70" x 60" Dacia Carter, 2012 Oil on canvas 30" x 24" Image Credit: Kehinde Wiley

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Kimberly Foster is the founder and editor of For Harriet. Email or Follow @KimberlyNFoster