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John Wilson
American, 1922-2015
Martin Luther King Jr., 2002
Etching and aquatint with chine-collé
© 2026 Estate of John Wilson / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s eyes meet our own in this moving portrait of a remarkable religious and civic leader. John Wilson presents King as an imposing figure (the work is nearly life size), but with astonishing poignancy and humanity. With sloped shoulders, tilted head, and eyes slightly downturned, King appears solemn and unguarded in his strength. His clothing expresses the duality of his life and work, evoking both a clerical robe and a man’s professional suit. The simple horizontal line behind him, when joined with the vertical line of his garment’s opening, evokes a cross and the crosshairs of a rifle. Both reminders that King was not only an extraordinary social and religious leader, but also a target. This image is based on studies for Wilson’s 1986 memorial bust of King, the official portrait of this American leader installed at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C.