Beyond the Binary: Exploring Race and Ambiguity in “Tobacco Farmers”
- Pam Skis
- Aug 16
- 2 min read
From The Curator’s Corner: Where Art Meets Personal Storytelling
Sisters Godfrey Collection on Instagram
Beyond the Binary: Exploring Race and Ambiguity in “Tobacco Farmers”
For my 100th Instagram post, I’m reflecting on Tobacco Farmers, oil on canvas by Mary E. Godfrey.
The painting depicts five farmers—three men and two women—bent over, bundling harvested tobacco. Behind them, trees frame the scene, with mountains in the distance and a farmhouse tucked into the upper right corner.
What draws me in most is the racial ambiguity of the farmers. Who are they? Are they family members? Mary Godfrey’s family had members who were racially ambiguous, so it’s possible. Are they white? If so, why would she choose to paint them? Maybe they’re a mixture of both???
For Mary, themes of heritage and identity ran deep. On her father’s side, she descended from free people of color. On her mother’s side were former enslaved people, including her grandmother, an African American and her grandfather, an Irish indentured servant—a union that blurred the lines of race, power, and survival.
Since Mary spent years on that farm after her father’s death, one can only imagine the impressions those formative years left on her lens as an artist. Her family’s story, like that of the Kirklands and Scotts in “The Gilded Age”, reminds us that history is rarely just black and white. There’s a fluidity to identity, relationships, and power dynamics that often goes unexplored.
What do you see when you look at “Tobacco Farmers?” Do you see a family portrait, a historical reflection, or something else entirely? Let’s explore this together. Share your thoughts below!
Photos:
1) The Curator’s Corner cover photo 8/16/2025
2) Tobacco Farmers, Mary E. Godfrey, oil on canvas, 39”x 19”, date unknown.
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