Harold Cousins & Allen Jones. Black Artists in Paris. Dated 1956- Einar Johansen

Watercolor, ink and pencil on cardboard. Signed with the Einar Johansen monogram “E.J,” and dated Paris 56. On the verso, Johansen has inscribed in pencil: Harold Cousins og Allen Jones læser avis — which translates to “Harold Cousins and Allen Jones are reading the news.” A rare depiction of African- American sculptor Harold Cousins (1916-1992) who made Paris his home from 1949 and was one of many African-Americans artists who pursued their artistic career in post-war France. The other figure is believed to be Edward Allen Jones (1903–1981) an African-American linguist, scholar and diplomat. A historically significant work connecting the mid-20th-century Parisian art scene with African-American cultural history.