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Angels and Their Horses

Purvis Young
  • PY - Angels and Their Horses - Master Image

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    Photo: Stephen Pitkin/Pitkin Studio
1985
Paint on wood
59.75 x 48 inches
Collection of
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco museum purchase American Art Trust Fund and gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation
Description

Angels and Their Horses is a depiction of two of Young's favorite subjects—God's heavenly messengers and their black "freedom horses"—symbols of salvation and liberation. Young perceived organized religion as "part of the system" and therefore potentially corrupted, and turned instead to God and his angels directly—both in the earthly and the heavenly realms. —Timothy Anglin Burgard