Second Baptist (1949) exemplifies Grace Albee’s talents as a keen observer of the American experience. In this rural or small town scene, Albee presents a view of a modest, unadorned wood clapboard Baptist church set in a stand of age-worn, mostly leafless trees, some draped with vines or Spanish moss. African American congregants can be seen entering the church’s open door, while one lingers on the front porch. In the foreground, puddles of rainwater are scattered on the dirt road; a dilapidated fence lies partially on the ground. The scene appears sunless, perhaps in the moments after a passing rain shower. Though the church’s location is unknown, the presence of Spanish moss suggests somewhere in the southern or southeastern United States. Here, faith, community, and a familiar sense of place or belonging are essential thematic elements. And like many of Albee’s prints, the details of the scene suggest the incessant passage of time and a wistful yearning for a return to a simpler era.
