Avel de Knight explained

Avel de Knight (1923-1995)^[1] was an African-American artist, art educator, and art critic. His works are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Walker Art Center, and the University of Richmond Museums.^{[2] [3]}

Early life and education

De Knight was born in New York.^{[4] [5]} His birth year has been given as 1921, 1923, 1925, 1931, and 1933. His parents immigrated to the United States from Barbados and Puerto Rico. He is the younger brother of René DeKnight.

De Knight studied art at the Pratt Institute from 1941-1942. He joined the Army and served in a segregated unit until the end of World War II. In 1946, he moved to Paris where he used the G.I. Bill to attend the École des Beaux-Arts, Académie de la Grande Chaumière, and the Académie Julian.

Career

De Knight painted watercolors and often practiced the gouache painting technique.

He taught at the Art Students League of New York and the National Academy School of Fine Arts.^[6]

Collections

• Metropolitan Museum of Art^[7]
• Walker Art Center
• University of Richmond
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
• The Chrysler Museum of Art
• Lehigh University Art Galleries

Exhibitions

• Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks, Delaware Art Museum 2021

See also

• Herbert Gentry
• Romare Bearden

Notes and References

1. News: Desir. Dowoti. January 2018. Dreaming Warriors Bubbling Orbs &: The Art of Avel de Knight. The Harlem Times.
2. Book: Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks. Delaware Art Museum in partnership with Aesthetic Dynamics. 2021. Delaware Art Museum.
3. Web site: A Finding Aid to the Avel de Knight papers, 1947-2003, bulk 1957-1968. 2021-11-06. www.aaa.si.edu. en.
4. Web site: Avel de Knight. 2021-11-06. Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art. 7 July 2016 . en-US.
5. September 1976. Avel de Knight. The Watercolor Page. 40.
6. Web site: Oral history interview with Avel De Knight, 1968 July 22. 2021-11-07. www.aaa.si.edu. en.
7. Web site: Mediterranean, 1966. live. 2021-11-06. www.metmuseum.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305042336/http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/489515 . 2016-03-05 .