Baptising by the Dry Valley Baptist Church
Howard Finster
American, 1916–2001
Details
Title
Baptising by the Dry Valley Baptist Church
Artist/Maker
Howard Finster (American, 1916–2001)
Date
1960s
Medium
Gelatin silver print, glass, wood, cardboard, nails, wire, and paint on wood
Dimensions
14 7/8 x 12 1/2 x 1 1/4 inches
Credit
Purchase with funds from the Cousins Foundation, Inc. and donors to the Paradise Project Campaign
Accession #
1994.260
At the age of thirteen, during a Baptist revival held at his school in Valley Head, Alabama, Finster was born again; three years later, he dedicated himself to a life of preaching. He pastored dozens of congregations before settling his family in Trion, Georgia, where he served Chelsea Baptist Church in nearby Menlo for fifteen years. Finster’s experience as a preacher—marrying, burying, and performing rituals such as the river baptism seen here—cultivated his flair for charismatic showmanship that would later characterize his career as an artist.