Amy Sherald’s Exploration of Black American Life Through Parables

Amy Sherald’s “American Sublime”: Reimagining Realism Through Black Portraiture

American portraiture has long been defined by the somber loneliness of Edward Hopper, the theatrical dignity of John Singer Sargent, or the pastoral glow of Andrew Wyeth. Yet, in recent years, a new force has emerged to challenge the historical exclusion of Black presence in the canon of figurative painting — Amy Sherald. With her masterful use of color, distinct grayscale skin tones, and compassionate gaze, Sherald has reshaped the visual language of American portraiture. “Amy Sherald: American Sublime,” currently on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art, is a powerful mid-career retrospective that reinforces her influence on the genre and reasserts the importance of Black visibility in museums.

A Realist for the 21st Century

Born in Columbus, Georgia, Sherald has described her aesthetic as extending the lineage of American Realism while also intentionally redefining who is permitted to embody the ideals of the “American subject.” Her portraits, painted in oil on linen or canvas, typically feature stylishly dressed Black individuals standing before vivid, monochromatic backgrounds. But Sherald’s palette—most famously, her trademark grayscale depiction of skin tone—transcends realism to achieve something more poetic and symbolically charged. Rather than naturalistic representations, she offers deliberate constructions of identity.

“American Sublime” traces nearly two decades of Sherald’s work. The exhibition flows chronologically, revealing the artist’s evolution in scale, composition, and narrative complexity. The earlier paintings, already technically savvy, have a quiet boldness. In the compelling “The Rabbit in the Hat” (2009), we find the seeds of Sherald’s now-iconic composition style: poised, frontal figures basking in quiet introspection.

Literary and Historical Resonance

Sherald’s work is deeply informed by literature, particularly the writing of Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, and Lucille Clifton. These authors, known for their fearless exploration of Black interiority, offer Sherald a conceptual backbone to build from. Echoes of Morrison’s Beloved and Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God appear in the titles and visual narratives of Sherald’s works. This intertextuality imbues her portraits with a literary dimension, transforming what could be mere likeness into living, breathing testimonies.

Moreover, Sherald’s approach to storytelling includes subtle references to Black visual culture and history. The painting “Hangman” (2007), with its haunting Biblical glow and spectral background figures, alludes powerfully to the traumas of lynching and racial terror. Yet perhaps her most potent visual commentary emerges in more recent works that reconstruct iconic American imagery, such as “For love, and for country” (2022), which reimagines the V-J Day sailor’s kiss as a tender embrace between two men.

Political Portraiture and the Power of Presence

In 2018, Sherald reached international fame through her portrait of Michelle Obama, commissioned for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. In “American Sublime,” the First Lady’s portrait stands alone in its own gallery, protected by glass and separated from the other works. While the display choice emphasizes the cultural weight of the painting, it also raises critical questions about hierarchies within Black representation—between political symbolism and everyday lived realities.

That contrast is thrown into sharp relief with Sherald’s riveting tribute to Breonna Taylor. Commissioned for the 2020 cover of Vanity Fair by guest editor Ta-Nehisi Coates, the painting depicts Taylor in serene grace—draped in turquoise, adorned with symbolic jewelry, and gazing directly at the viewer. In the museum, the canvas towers quietly while surrounded by other portraits, reminding us of the human connections stolen by systemic violence. Sherald’s consultation with Taylor’s family during the creation of the portrait ensures it remains deeply personal as well as widely resonant.

Reclaiming and Celebrating the Ordinary

One of Sherald’s enduring strengths is her ability to celebrate the perceived “ordinary” in Black life, granting it the reverence traditionally reserved for monuments and mythologies. Her models, usually scouted organically, are transformed through considered styling and regal poses. And yet, despite the grandeur, Sherald resists idealization. Her subjects—young children atop playground slides, women in vibrant dresses, teenage boys in superhero shirts—embody vulnerability, playfulness, complexity, and individuality. Collectively, they reassert Black existence not just as politically significant but joyfully mundane.

Her titles often further elevate these works into the realm of storytelling. Pieces such as “They Call Me Redbone but I’d Rather Be Strawberry Shortcake” (2009) and “A bucket full of treasures (Papa gave me sunshine to put in my pockets…)” (2020) evoke childhood memories, poetic wordplay, and familial love. These layered evocations resonate with emotional intimacy,