Horace Pippin

Horace Pippin (1888–1946), American, Horace Pippin, an American painter born on February 22, 1888, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, emerged as a significant figure in the art world despite the racial barriers of his time. His early life in Goshen, New York, was marked by modest beginnings, where his artistic talent first surfaced through a childhood contest win that awarded him art supplies. Pippin's education was cut short at the eighth grade to support his ailing mother, leading him through various labor-intensive jobs before his enlistment in World War I. Serving with the Harlem Hellfighters, the 369th infantry regiment, Pippin's experiences in the segregated U.S. Army profoundly influenced his later work.
After the war, Pippin turned to painting as a means of expression, creating works that spanned a variety of themes, from his wartime experiences to landscapes, portraits, and biblical scenes. Notably, his art also confronted the painful history of slavery and racial segregation in the United States, earning him recognition as a pioneering African American artist. Pippin's legacy was cemented as the first Black artist to have a monograph dedicated to his work, and he was eulogized by The New York Times as the most important Negro painter in American history. He passed away on July 6, 1946, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire and challenge. Pippin is buried at Chestnut Grove Cemetery Annex in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, with his home in West Chester commemorated by a Pennsylvania State historical Marker.