Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
This conversation is connected to Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
Set against a deep mauve sky beneath a vibrant orange sun, an elderly man in yellow shorts reaches up toward a heavenly vision. A white horse pulls a golden, two-wheeled chariot toward him, driven by a line of angels wearing colorful, simple dresses—in shades of yellow, red, white, and grey—with purple wings sweeping dynamically backward. The earthly landscape below consists of flat, sweeping bands of green, blue, and grey, dotted with clusters of stylized yellow flowers. Painted circa 1944, this work draws its title and subject from the famous African American spiritual, interpreting the biblical story of Elijah ascending to heaven. Johnson’s deliberate use of flat, saturated colors and reductive forms grounds this profound religious imagery in a deeply human, vernacular tradition, celebrating both faith and cultural resilience.