Marshall Bouldin at 100: Mississippi Delta Watercolors
April 9 – July 21
Christian Gallery
Marshall Bouldin (1923-2012) of Clarksdale, Mississippi, was among the elite in portraiture. Recognized internationally for his perceptive eye, disciplined brush, and imaginative backgrounds, he was described by the New York Times as one of America’s foremost portrait artists.
Over his more than 50-year career, Bouldin painted more than 800 portraits, and his commissions read like a roster of who’s who in government, business, and education, including famous Mississippians like Governor William Winter and Senator Jim Eastland as well as national figures like the daughters of President Richard Nixon, Sara Lee founder Nathan Cummings, and U.S. Senator Sam Ervin. For years he had the honor of being the only American selected for exhibitions of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in London, and his works have hung in the White House as well as prestigious private and public collections throughout the country.
In the early 1970’s, Bouldin left portraiture and oil painting for a brief period to explore watercolor. In 1973, LRMA hosted its first exhibition by Bouldin which included several watercolors. In celebration of the artist’s 100th birthday and the 50th anniversary of his first LRMA exhibition, we are pleased to host an exhibit of Bouldin’s watercolor paintings that primarily celebrate the diverse Mississippi Delta landscape. We are grateful to Bouldin’s family for their assistance in organizing this exhibition.
Image: Marshall Bouldin, Sycamore in Snow, watercolor, 1972
