What medium was used for Jacob Lawrence's The Migration of the Negro, Panel No. 49?

What medium was used for Jacob Lawrence's The Migration of the Negro, Panel No. 49?

• A. Casein tempera on hardboard
• B. Oil on canvas
• C. Watercolor on paper
• D. Acrylic on canvas

Answer: (A)

Jacob Lawrence’s Migration of the Negro panels are painted with casein tempera on hardboard. This medium uses casein as the binder in tempera, applied to a rigid panel to create a precise, matte surface with bright, opaque color. The quick-drying nature and the smooth, uniform support of hardboard allow Lawrence to render multiple panels with clean outlines and bold, simplified forms—the signature look of The Migration series, including Panel No. 49. If he had used oil on canvas, the surface would read with glossier, blended brushwork; watercolor on paper would be more translucent and fragile on a large composition; acrylic on canvas—though common later—was not the technique he selected for these pieces. Therefore, casein tempera on hardboard is the correct description for Panel No. 49.

Jacob Lawrence’s Migration of the Negro panels are painted with casein tempera on hardboard. This medium uses casein as the binder in tempera, applied to a rigid panel to create a precise, matte surface with bright, opaque color. The quick-drying nature and the smooth, uniform support of hardboard allow Lawrence to render multiple panels with clean outlines and bold, simplified forms—the signature look of The Migration series, including Panel No. 49. If he had used oil on canvas, the surface would read with glossier, blended brushwork; watercolor on paper would be more translucent and fragile on a large composition; acrylic on canvas—though common later—was not the technique he selected for these pieces. Therefore, casein tempera on hardboard is the correct description for Panel No. 49.