Artwork
Chicken Vendor, Trinidad
Chicken Vendor, Trinidad is an ink print by George Overbury Hart. It dates from 1923 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in plate: Pop Hart; lower right in graphite: Pop Hart; lower left edge in graphite by unknown hand: Chicken Vendor; lower center edge in graphite by unknown hand: 28; lower right edge in graphite by unknown hand: 22; lower left verso in graphite by unknown hand: B26314; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: HV / EO [strikethrough]
About this work
Overview
George Overbury Hart’s 1923 drypoint, titled Chicken Vendor, Trinidad, depicts a bustling market scene on wove paper. Rendered in black and brown tones, the image captures a woman in a long dress beside a heap of chickens and pottery, with a thatched hut and palm silhouettes framing the background.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a vendor surrounded by domestic activity: a child reaches for the poultry while another figure sits nearby, suggesting everyday commerce and community life in a Caribbean village. The inclusion of everyday objects and figures conveys a snapshot of local livelihood.
Technique & Style
Hart employed a drypoint method enhanced with sandpaper, producing rough, scratchy lines that lend a tactile, gritty quality to the surface. The combination of black and brown ink on the paper creates depth, while the deliberate texture emphasizes the raw, hand‑drawn character of the scene.
History & Provenance
Created in 1923, the print is part of Hart’s early 20th‑century work exploring Caribbean subjects. It remains documented as a single print on wove paper, reflecting the artist’s interest in travel and ethnographic observation during that period.
Context
The work aligns with a broader trend among Western artists of the era who traveled to the Caribbean, documenting local cultures through printmaking. Its focus on everyday market activity offers insight into the social fabric of Trinidad during the early 1920s.
Artist & collection
![Men Drinking at a Table [verso], by George Overbury Hart](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/george-overbury-hart--men-drinking-at-a-table-verso--7e9475e5b5079377-w320.webp)
![Chicken Vendors [recto], by George Overbury Hart](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/george-overbury-hart--chicken-vendors-recto--d97b582e13465974-w320.webp)
![Market in Tangiers [Mercato di Tangeri], by E. Tommasi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/e-tommasi--market-in-tangiers-mercato-di-tangeri--dd40f2e0c7e6fcf9-w320.webp)
