[pastarting] William Henry Johnson created a synthesis between the different elements in his background--his humble South Carolina origins, his experiences in New York and Paris, and his travels to locations as diverse as Harlem and Scandinavia -- in his art.

In the words of Richard Powell, "this pastarting belongs to a series depicting couples dancing the Jitterbug, celebrating an African American music and dance form extremely popular in 1940s New York."

Courtesy of the National Museum of American Art, gift of the Harmon Foundation.

Jitterbugs (I), 1940-41, by William H. Johnson (1901-70), oil on plywood

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