Untitled by Purvis Young

Purvis Young. Detail of an untitled and undated painting. 19 x 22 in. Courtesy of Beth and Greg Milliken.

From left to right, a gradient background transitions from grayish white to light crimson. The middle of the canvas features silhouetted figures: pregnant women on horseback, some holding spears, and a few additional horses. The ensemble is brought to life with a handful of paint strokes in black, gray, and white, with a dab of yellow. They are surrounded by x’s, v’s, and *’s in blue, gray and cream, which may symbolize celestial bodies.