Beauford Delaney (December 30, 1901 – March 26, 1979) was an American modernist painter. Delaney is remembered for his work with the Harlem Renaissance. His paintings highlighted that which was often overlooked, people on the fringes of society. Working in a lyrically abstract style, Delaney sought to reveal the essence and enigma of forms and figures. He worked primarily with pastels during the 1930s and began experimenting with street scenes during the 1940s, producing bright swaths of paint in heavy impasto. After moving to Paris during the 1950s and gaining exposure to influential literary circles and jazz clubs, Delaney began to work in a nonrepresentational, expression-driven style. Inspired by the improvisation of jazz music, his works grew increasingly unpredictable and nontraditional. While his subject matter addressed post–Great Depression poverty, homelessness, and black disenfranchisement, Delaney was ultimately more concerned with self-expression and self-discovery than social commentary.
