This print depicts a celebration of Jonkonnu, an animal masquerade and dance tradition dating back to the time of African slavery in the 17th century. It's associated with Jamaica and other islands in the Caribbean, as well as some southern areas of the United States. Usually held around Christmas, Jonkonnu provided enslaved people the opportunity to abandon their harsh labors for a day of festivity, parading with music and dance drawn from their African origins.

Hear the music! Feel the rhythm! Move to the beat! In this image, Smith captures the energy of African folk dance. The momentum begins at the top of this image and grows as marchers strut with their arms, feet, and hips in motion. Pulsating with rhythm, drama, and wit, Jonkonnu is a mimed performance with each character in elaborate costume. Cowhead, the main role, is recognized by its long horns; here, it strides across the foreground on stilts. With undulating lines, jazzy patterns, and bright colors,Jonkonnu Festivalcelebrates a cultural tradition that helped sustain a people through difficult times of oppression centuries ago.
_{—From Brandywine Workshop and Archives records}

In a career that spanned half a century, painter Vincent Smith documented in brilliant color some of the most compelling events in 20th-century America. From the bebop-fueled improvisation of 1940s Harlem jazz clubs, to the visceral tug of Civil Rights workers confronting deep-seated hate with soul-clearing hope, to the creative militancy of the Black Arts Movement, Smith was there, brush in hand, bearing witness. "A figurative painter with an often subtle, social thrust, he placed his subjects in a stylized way against geometric, textured and intricately colored backgrounds," noted the New York Times. "I always knew that I was either going to do something or do nothing," he told American Visions. "And when I thought of myself as a painter, I dreamed of myself as a great painter." He succeeded.
_{—Excerpted from https://biography.jrank.org/pages/2432/Smith-Vincent-D.html, accessed on 7-27-2021}

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