This oil painting by American artist Mary C. Peterson depicts African American actress and contralto vocalist Etta Moten Barnett with beautiful bronze skin and dark hair styled in an updo. Her expression is serene and self-assured, with a hint of a playful smile. She's wearing a short-sleeved, horizontally-striped shirt featuring a variety of colors including red, green, yellow, brown, and teal. The shirt has a high, rounded neckline. Motrin wears a brown, possibly suede, skirt that is partially visible below the shirt. Her hands are clasped gently in front of her, resting demurely near her waist. On her left wrist, she wears a large, ornate bracelet composed of several pieces in shades of green and gold. In her hands, she holds a corner of a vibrant, patterned scarf with greens, yellows, and pinks, suggesting a tropical or floral design. The background is soft and muted in its colors, dominated by a light, yellowish-beige tone. There’s a patterned wallpaper visible behind Etta, with a faint design. To the left, a portion of a dark purple drape hangs, contrasting sharply with the lighter background. A dark brown wooden chair with ornate carving, is partially seen in the lower left corner of the painting. Up until the 1930s, the representation of Black women in movies was limited to maids or nannies (the “Mammy” archetype). Moten made a breakthrough with her roles in two musical films released in 1933 and is generally recognized as the first Black woman to do so. On January 31, 1934, Moten became the first African American to perform at the White House in the 20th century. She is commonly remembered for her signature role of "Bess" in American composer George Gershwin’s English-language opera “Porgy and Bess.” She also created other new roles for African-American women on stage and screen. After her performing career, Morten was active in Chicago as a major philanthropist and civic activist supporting cultural, social, and church institutions.

“Portrait of Etta Moten” by Mary Peterson (American) - Oil on canvas / 1949 - National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington DC) #WomenInArt #art #nmaahc #artText #MaryPeterson #EttaMoten #artwork #EttaMotenBarnett #PortraitofaWoman #BlueskyArt #AfricanAmericanArt #OilPainting