For 250 years, France and the United States have enriched one another through the arts. French painters influenced generations of American artists, while American creators brought new perspectives that enriched France's cultural landscape. Their free-flowing exchange has strengthened the friendship between the two nations while leaving an enduring mark on global culture.
An American Artist in Paris
Beauford Delaney, Composition 16, 1954–56.
© [Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Oil on canvas
MOMA]
Beauford Delaney stands as one of the most compelling examples of this shared artistic tradition. Arriving in France in 1953, he took his place among dozens of American artists who found inspiration in Paris and, in turn, contributed to the city’s rich cultural legacy. Here, he produced some of the most celebrated works of his career while becoming part of the city's effervescent postwar artistic community.
Today, visitors can discover Paris through Delaney's remarkable story—a journey that reveals not only the life of an extraordinary artist but also the long-standing cultural ties that continue to unite France and the United States.
An Artistic Bridge Across the Atlantic
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Beauford Delaney (1901–1979) passionately pursued his calling as a visual artist in Boston and New York before settling permanently in Paris. The city's invigorating atmosphere inspired him to experiment with color, abstraction, and light in new and increasingly expressive ways.
Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin walking together.
©Beauford Delaney Papers - UT Special Collections MS.3967
University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville,
Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives
Founder and CEO, Wells International Foundation
Discover a Different Side of Paris
Paris is celebrated for its iconic landmarks, but another city exists beyond the familiar monuments—one shaped by intellectuals and artists whose lives unfolded in cafés, studios, and galleries and whose ideas redefined the modern world.
Following Beauford Delaney's footsteps offers visitors an opportunity to explore this vibrant landscape while discovering the broader history of African-American artists, writers, musicians, and scholars whose lives became part of France's cultural story.
Guided experiences offered through Entrée to Black Paris introduce visitors to Delaney’s haunts while placing him within the wider history of African-American and Afro-diasporic life in France. Each stop reveals another chapter in his remarkable journey to becoming an internationally recognized painter whose work continues to inspire audiences around the world.
Bringing Delaney's Paris Home
The Beauford Delaney Project extends this journey beyond the streets of Paris. Developed by the Wells International Foundation in collaboration with leading cultural and academic partners, the project brings together archival research, original scholarship, digital storytelling, and emerging technologies to illuminate Delaney's extraordinary life and artistic legacy.
Visitors to the project’s digital hub can explore historical photographs, interviews, educational resources, and immersive digital experiences that reveal the people, places, and ideas that shaped Delaney's world.
Whether preparing for a visit to Paris or continuing the journey from home, the project offers new ways to connect with one of the twentieth century's most compelling American artists and his enduring relationship with Paris.
Practical Information
Continue exploring Beauford Delaney's Paris through guided experiences, historical research, and digital resources dedicated to his life and legacy.
Entrée to Black Paris – Afrocentric walking tours and activities
Website: Entrée to Black Paris
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Email: [email protected]
The Beauford Delaney Project – A Digital Humanities Project by the Wells International Foundation Discover The Beauford Delaney Project
By Dr. Monique Wells
Dr. Monique Y. Wells is an international speaker and co-founder of the award-winning travel business Entrée to Black Paris (ETBP). Her interest in African-American history and culture led her to discover the life and art of Paris expatriate Beauford Delaney, and her passion for his story inspired her to found the French non-profit Les Amis de Beauford Delaney and the U.S. nonprofit Wells International Foundation (WIF).
