Ernie Barnes (American, 1938-2009), Main Street Pool Hall

offset lithograph in colors, circa 1978, pencil signed, titled, and numbered 325/750 lower margin, unframed.
Sheet size 19 7/8 x 35 7/8 in.
Ernie Barnes is known both as an artist and as a professional athlete. He was born in Durham, North Carolina during the Jim Crow Era, where his father was a shipping clerk for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and his mother ran the household for a local attorney. The attorney shared his extensive art book collection with Ernie, so Ernie was well-read in the arts by the time he began elementary school.

As a reserved child at school, Ernie was inspired by what he'd read and found solace in drawing. He also showed great promise as an athlete, ultimately becoming the captain of the football team and state champion in the shot put in high school. He went on to play football professionally as an offensive lineman for the New York Titans, the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos, while simultaneously embarking on a successful career as a painter. In 1965, New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin paid Barnes a season’s salary to practice painting and then sponsored his first solo show at a well-known art gallery. Barnes retired from football at the age of 28 to paint full time.

Barnes is unique in his exceptional skill as an athlete and an artist, and for his union of both through the depiction of everyday life. North Carolina landmarks such as front porches, pool halls, and sports scenes often appear in his work.
From the Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Percy E. Jones, Greensboro, North Carolina
Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com

Overall good condition; few minor creases and negligible spots; possible slight fading.