I don't want you to praise me...Some praise me because I am a colored girl, and I don't want that kind of praise. I had rather you would point out my defects, for that will teach me something.
Edmonia LewisRead
I was practically driven to Rome in order to obtain the opportunities for art culture and to find a social atmosphere where I was not constantly reminded of my color. The land of liberty had no room for a colored sculptor.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the challenges faced by Edmonia Lewis as a Black artist seeking acceptance and opportunities in a society that discriminated based on race.
Edmonia Lewis's quote reflects her journey as a Black woman artist who felt compelled to leave her homeland in pursuit of artistic opportunities and a more accepting social environment. She highlights the stark reality of racial discrimination that hindered her ability to thrive as a sculptor, revealing the struggles that many artists of color faced during her time and the continuing quest for equality in the arts.
Themes
ArtRaceDiscriminationOpportunityLibertySculptor
In practice
Example use cases
In a gallery talk about racial diversity in art history, this quote can illustrate the challenges faced by artists of color.
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