“after a rough pencil sketch the casein paint is applied in washes to an especially absorbent board--layer is put upon layer, and finally opaque casein paint brings out the accents and details of the composition.”  Priebe’s technical innovation allowed him to achieve a velvety surface and his characteristic tone and atmosphere. Priebe worked primarily in casein on paperboard throughout his career and his subject matter rarely varied from depicting African Americans and birds. His works over 4 decades exhibit real joy and fascination on the part of the artist in both medium and image

 

Which of the two images seems to you more meaningful and beautiful? 

 

The sitter is believed to be the  American opera and broadway singer Muriel Smith (1823-1985). painted after a photograph taken by Karl Priebe’s close friend the 🇺🇸 writer and artistic photographer and patron of the Harlem Renaissance Carl Van Vechten (1880 - 1964) in her created Broadway role of Carmen Jones in the 1943 original updated version of Bizet’s Carmen (music by Bizet and lyrics by Hammerstein). 

 

Carl Van Vechten (1880-1964) created a body of portraiture that represents a veritable "who's who" of famous individuals in the twentieth century arts. Over 700 portraits of which 250 depicted notable African Americans. 

Karl Priebe shared that same passion and interest in African American culture. He was close friend to many of the great jazz  singers and musicians of the 30’s and 40’s, Billie Holiday, Pearl Bailey, Dizzie Gillespie among others. 

Over the course of a decade, from 1946 to 1956, the two friends maintained a postcard correspondence. Van Vechten printed his photographs on card stock and mailed them to Priebe who, in turn, sent Van Vechten postcards exhibiting hand-drawn artwork. 

But Priebe’s  does not choose to simply produce another version  in watercolor, but something profoundly different and real. 

To achieve his goal Priebe pulls his subject away from its original context creating a completely improbable  textured  colored abstract background and setting. 

The surreal multicolored tones seen here on Muriel Smith African American skin, is a visual expression of  the the music vitality united under the story of the life of Carmen echoing the human condition common to all.  

In Karl Priebe’s own words in an attempt to resume his visual approach, it is a  “tempered realism . . . realism filtered through the imagination”. It is only once the subject is whisked off to the artist own fairyland that reality is revealed. 

Carl V Vechten photograph shows Carmen looking at camera, beautiful, generous while her right hand is clenched tightly onto the fatal 9 of ♠️. Karl Priebe, instead  moves the subject  away from Muriel Smith the professional singer / performer placing Carmen in  character  in the 2nd act of the play.  As her hand bring the card to her view her head is motionless,  her only are moving looking down with disdain at the messenger card sealing her faith. In an explosion of life colors her gaze is showing nothing else but contempt and pride.