Free Spirit

An exhibition at the Brandywine Museum of Art dives into the printed and painted works of Allan Freelon

Through January 21, 2024

Brandywine Museum of Art
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Beginning this fall, the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, hosts an exhibition celebrating the paintings and printed works of Philadelphia artist Allan Randall Freelon (1895-1960). As a Black artist, educator and civil rights activist, Freelon was undoubtedly a major influence for other artists during a time in the early-20th-century when Black culture and creativity was blossoming.

Allan Freelon (1895-1960), Gloucester Harbor, ca. 1929. Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. Brandywine Museum of Art. Purchased with Museum funds, 2021. © The Freelon Family Estate.

“One of the most far-reaching impacts of Freelon’s career is the influence he had on future generations of artists through his teaching,” says Brandywine senior curator Amanda C. Burdan. “Freelon’s position in the Philadelphia public schools put him in direct contact with students and he helped to guide many careers. Philadelphia artist Peter Paone, who advised on this exhibition, recounted just how important Freelon’s encouragement was to his future. Not only did Freelon work in the public schools, but he also taught at his home studio. In both of these venues, Freelon taught Black and white students, side-by-side.”

Allan Freelon (1895-1960), Mending Nets, ca. 1935. Aquatint in black on ivory wove paper, 9 x 12 in. Brandywine Museum of Art. Gift of Joel S. Dryer, 2021. © The Freelon Family Estate.

Freelon also sought to break out of the “prescribed subject matter for Black artists,” which focused primarily on depicting the Black lived experience. In this way, “Freelon pressed forward into styles and subjects that were traditionally dominated by white artists,” Burdan adds. A relatively new artist to the Brandywine collection, the museum purchased Freelon’s Gloucester Harbor in 2021. “[It] is a beautiful complement to our growing collection of American impressionism. Freelon, like other Pennsylvania painters in our collection, summered in New England, where a freer spirit overtook his work,” says Burdan.” The oil on canvas, painted around 1923, depicts the major fishing port of Gloucester on the south side of the Cape Ann peninsula in Massachusetts. “The painting exudes a summery palette, and the chunky blocking of the buildings alludes to his plein air painting style—capturing the scene quickly while on site,” says Burdan.

Allan Freelon (1895-1960), Nude with City Scene, ca. 1935. Aquatint with soft ground etching in black on ivory wove paper, 10 x 12 in. Brandywine Museum of Art. Gift of Joel S. Dryer, 2021. © The Freelon Family Estate.

Allan Freelon (1895-1960), Number One Broad Street, 1933. Aquatint in black on ivory wove paper, 12 x 10 in. Brandywine Museum of Art. Gift of Joel S. Dryer, 2021. © The Freelon Family Estate.

Additional works in the exhibition comprise a portfolio of prints gifted to the Brandywine Museum by donor Joel S. Dryer. The prints were made posthumously from plates held by the Freelon family. Allan Freelon: Painter, Printmaker, Teacher runs through January 21, 2024.