Artwork Featuring Illustrated Portraits of Della Reese

Description

Framed collage-style drawing featuring three images of Della Reese. The drawing is done entirely in black, gray, and white. In each image, she is pictured from the chest up, holding a microphone. The largest image is at the top right. It shows the woman with a gray streak in her black hair, her eyes closed, mouth open and hands raised. On the left, she wears a floral patterned garment, with her mouth open as if she is singing. The lowest image appears to have been done on a separate sheet of paper and overlaid with the other drawing. It shows her smiling and wearing a garment with a decorated neckline. The drawing is in a black metal frame on brown mat board with a tan border. The drawing is signed along a flower stem at lower left [dick Ell-(illegible)].

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Unidentified

Subject of

Della Reese, American, 1937 - 2017

Date

circa 1970

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Rev. Della Reese-Lett and Mr. Franklin Lett

Medium

ink on paper with glass and metal

Dimensions

H x W (drawing): 23 1/2 × 21 1/4 in. (59.7 × 54 cm)

H x W x D (frame): 27 1/4 × 24 1/4 × 3/4 in. (69.2 × 61.6 × 1.9 cm)

Type

drawings

portraits