Six Days Shalt Thou Labor
Collection: Houston Public Library (HPL)
1966
Scratchboard
Location:
Houston Public Library, Johnson Branch, John Biggers, Scratchboard Paper Series
3517 Reed Rd
Houston, TX 77051
About the Artwork:
Six Days Shalt Thou Labor (1966)
by Dr. John T. Biggers
Dr. John Thomas Biggers was born in North Carolina in 1924, moving to Houston in 1949 to found the art department at the Texas State University for Negroes (renamed Texas Southern University in 1951). This is a work of scratch art, a form of engraving where the artist scratches off dark ink to reveal a white layer beneath. Biggers shows a scene of farm life as chickens and birds peck the ground while cows walk in the background. There seems to be a house on the left and a shed on the right, housing a wagon with pigs out front. On the right is a well with a bucket and pulley system to draw water; grapevines hang off the structure. Note the detail of the stretches, such as in the wooden structures to show their texture while leaves in the foreground have veins. The title of the piece, “Six Days Shalt Thou Labor,” is a Bible excerpt from Exodus 20:9-11, which goes: “Six days shalt thou labour, […] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work...” True to the scripture, no humans are seen working the farm.
Por Seis Días Trabajarás
por Dr. John T. Biggers
Six Days Shalt Thou Labor (1966)
by Dr. John T. Biggers
Dr. John Thomas Biggers was born in North Carolina in 1924, moving to Houston in 1949 to found the art department at the Texas State University for Negroes (renamed Texas Southern University in 1951). This is a work of scratch art, a form of engraving where the artist scratches off dark ink to reveal a white layer beneath. Biggers shows a scene of farm life as chickens and birds peck the ground while cows walk in the background. There seems to be a house on the left and a shed on the right, housing a wagon with pigs out front. On the right is a well with a bucket and pulley system to draw water; grapevines hang off the structure. Note the detail of the stretches, such as in the wooden structures to show their texture while leaves in the foreground have veins. The title of the piece, “Six Days Shalt Thou Labor,” is a Bible excerpt from Exodus 20:9-11, which goes: “Six days shalt thou labour, […] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work...” True to the scripture, no humans are seen working the farm.
Por Seis Días Trabajarás
por Dr. John T. Biggers
El Dr. John Thomas Biggers nació en Carolina del Norte en 1924 y se mudó a Houston en 1949 para fundar el departamento de arte en la Universidad Estatal de Texas para Negros (renombrado como la Universidad del Sur de Texas en 1951). Esta es una obra de grabado sobre superficie rascada, una técnica en la que el artista raspa la tinta oscura para revelar una capa blanca subyacente. Biggers representa una escena de la vida rural, con gallinas y pájaros picoteando el suelo mientras las vacas pastan al fondo. Parece que hay una casa a la izquierda y un cobertizo a la derecha, donde se guarda una carreta con cerdos delante. A la derecha hay un pozo con un cubo y un sistema de poleas para sacar agua; unas vides cuelgan de la estructura. Obsérvese el detalle de las texturas, como en las estructuras de madera para mostrar su veteado, mientras que las hojas en primer plano presentan sus nervaduras. El título de la obra, “Poe Seis Sías Trabajarás,” es un fragmento bíblico del Éxodo 20:9-11, que dice: “Seis días trabajarás, [...] Mas el séptimo día es el sábado del Señor tu Dios; en él no harás trabajo...” Fiel a las escrituras, no se ve a ningún ser humano trabajando en la granja.