Cat and Bird

Currently not on view

Cat and Bird

20th century

Nellie Mae Rowe (American, 1900–1982)

The daughter of a former slave, Nellie Mae Rowe spent most of her life in Vinings, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, where she worked as a domestic. Although she loved drawing as a child, it wasn't until 1948, after the death of her second husband, that Rowe began to devote much of her time to her art, creating drawings and paintings, gum sculptures, life-size dolls, and appliqué quilts. Vibrantly colored and imbued with a dreamlike quality, Rowe's works often depict figures---herself, family and friends, farm animals, or hybrid animal-human creatures---with architectural forms and geometric patterns.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Cat and Bird

Date:

20th century

Artist:

Nellie Mae Rowe (American, 1900–1982)

Medium:

Felt pen and paint on canvas board

Dimensions:

26 x 32 inches (66 x 81.3 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

125th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of Nancy Green Karlins and Mark Thoman, 2003

Accession Number:

2003-151-5

Geography:

Made in United States, North and Central America

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.

Currently not on view