J. GIBSON
HIGHWAYMEN LANDSCAPE
The Florida Highway Men
The Florida Highwaymen were a group of African American artists who emerged in the 1950s, defying societal expectations and creating a powerful legacy through their vibrant landscape paintings. These talented individuals, mostly self-taught and driven by their passion for art, captured the untamed beauty of Florida's landscapes during a time of racial segregation. Initially faced with limited opportunities, the Highwaymen sold their artwork by the roadside, often out of their car trunks.
Their determination and unique style, characterized by bold brushstrokes and vivid colors, resonated with art enthusiasts across the nation who sought to collect bold and captivating pieces. The Florida Highwaymen's artwork became popular not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for the story it told – a story of resilience, artistry, and breaking social barriers. Today, their paintings are highly sought after and celebrated for their historical significance, contributing to the cultural heritage of Florida and beyond.
J. Gibson - Highwaymen Painting - Prior to Restoration
Area of chipped paint in the palm trees, visible loss along the frameline
Close up of chipped paint in palm trees, paint loss along frame line and nail holes
Close up of bottom right of painting; paint loss in tree trunks and foliage
Detailed view of right edge; surface grime observable on painting face
Detail of right edge of painting, out of frame
Close up of bottom right corner of painting out of frame; paint loss along frame line, nail holes
Detailed view center of painting; chipped paint and scattered minor areas of loss
Close up of left center edge in frame; paint loss along frame line, nail holes, paint chipping
Bottom Left Corner of painting; frame line paint loss, nail holes, paint chipping
Detailed view of top left of painting; abrasions, minor paint loss
Top left of painting, no frame; nail holes, frame line paint loss, abrasions
The painting came to us in relatively good condition with flaws.
Paint loss and damage was observable in various areas across the face of the painting: loss along the frame line, an abrasion near the top of the palm frees, in the top left portion of the sky and an area near the bottom right that was beginning to flake. An abrasion could be observed going across the sky, but only in a raking light. An area near the top edge of the painting was delaminating due to the sawtooth hanger nailed into the top. Various other areas along the edge of the panel board had began to swell, likely due to humidity.
The painting was mounted to the frame using nails and staples, with many of the nails losing hold due to the wear of the panel board. A total of 81 nail and staple holes were counted along the edges of the painting with some penetrating all the way through the painting and others only entering from one side.
Frame was constructed out of baseboards and nailed together using brads. Age and wear had caused the frame to become unstable at some corners.
We were able to remedy the paint loss (despite the consistency of the paint in some areas), treat the swelling of the board, clean and stabilize the nail holes and varnish the painting. The frame was stabilized and some minor areas of loss were filled and inpainted to match the rest of the frame. Painting was mounted to the frame using non-invasive hardware.
J. Gibson - Highwaymen Landscape - After restoration
Area of loss along frame line inpainted to match the rest of painting, abrasion no longer present
Area of loss in palm trees filled, and inpainted. Brush strokes were matched to retain consistency
Area in trunk and foliage filled and inpainted
J Gibson Highwaymen Painting Closeup Center Right After
Area of frame filled and inpainted
Sky in top left of painting, abrasion-free
Prior areas of chipped paint remedied