Artist: Purvis Young
Title: Untitled (Angel, Horses, and People)
Medium: Diptych Oil Painting on 2 Sheets of Attached Paper
Size: 33.5" x 23”
Year: c. 2008
Inscripton: Signed “Young” on top front of each sheet, noted inventory number "P44-08" on reverse.
Condition: In the style of found art with an intentionally weathered appearance. Expected imperfections include heavy creasing, unfinished edges, and marks
Documentation: Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from the Purvis Young Foundation
Rendered in vivid hues of yellow and blue, Untitled (Angel, Horses, and People) embodies the raw, expressive power of Purvis Young's visual language. Created on two conjoined sheets of weathered paper—typical of Young's use of found and repurposed materials—the work bears the creases, irregular edges, and layered marks that contribute to its textured, almost sculptural presence.
This painting presents a dynamic composition of gestural figures, horses, and angelic forms—symbols that recurred throughout Young's prolific career. Horses, a frequent motif, signify freedom and unrestrained movement, while angels represent spiritual guardianship and the hope of human strength. As one of the earliest subjects Young explored, angels were, in his words, beings that "try to make mankind stronger". Though he did not follow organized religion, Young's spirituality was deeply felt and uniquely expressed, often emerging in works that grapple with themes of justice, resilience, and transcendence.
Created around 2008, this piece reflects the artist's mature style—intuitive, symbolic, and emotionally charged. It stands as a testament to Young's commitment to storytelling through unconventional means, offering a window into a visionary who transformed the language of American art from the streets of Overtown, Miami.
Please note: This piece is currently not framed. The images showing a frame are mock-up images to show you what it might look like when framed.
About Purvis Young
Purvis Young was a self-taught artist whose dynamic, emotionally charged work offers a deeply personal chronicle of life in the urban South. Born in 1943 in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood, Young emerged as a powerful voice in American contemporary art, best known for his vivid assemblages and paintings made from salvaged materials.
After spending time in prison in his early twenties, Young turned to art as a form of expression and liberation. Influenced by the Old Masters and modern history, he educated himself by studying art books and began painting prolifically. His breakthrough came in the 1970s, when he began mounting his paintings—created on wood panels, metal scraps, and castoff doors—on the walls of abandoned buildings in Overtown. This became the now-legendary “Goodbread Alley,” where Young's impromptu gallery brought visibility to his work and his community.
Young's visual vocabulary—filled with recurring imagery of angels, wild horses, cityscapes, and protestors—reflected his inner world as well as the broader social conditions around him. These themes were not just aesthetic; they served as a record of economic disparity, systemic injustice, and spiritual endurance. His approach to art was intuitive, layered, and fast-paced, often producing dozens of works in a single week. His use of humble, weathered materials added texture and urgency to his pieces, grounding them in the everyday realities of life in Overtown.
Though categorized by many as an “outsider artist,” Young rejected this label. His work spoke to universal human struggles, often with a spiritual overtone, and he saw himself as part of a lineage of painters who used their art to capture and change the world. Over the decades, his paintings were acquired by collectors and institutions alike. His work is now housed in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and numerous private collections worldwide.
Purvis Young passed away in 2010, leaving behind thousands of works and a powerful legacy. His practice, deeply connected to place, history, and the human condition, continues to influence contemporary artists and thinkers. Young's art remains a testament to creativity's power to reclaim space, speak truth, and heal.