Distant View of Niagara Falls by Alma Thomas
Coming Squall (Nahant Beach with a Summer Shower) by Alma Thomas
Capture of the Tripoli by the Enterprise by Alma Thomas
Pergola with Oranges by Alma Thomas
"The London & York Royal Mail Coach" by Alma Thomas
A Friendly Warning by Alma Thomas
The Bowman, frontispiece from The Epic of Kings, Stories Retold from Firdusi by Alma Thomas
New England Scenery by Alma Thomas

Where to See Alma Thomas

8 museums worldwide

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About Alma Thomas

American · 1891–1978 · Abstract Expressionism

Became a full-time painter at sixty-nine, had her first major show at eighty, and produced museum-quality work for seventeen years on pure colour and conviction.

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Alma Thomas's works are held in 8 museums worldwide, including Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, and Corcoran Gallery of Art.

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🇺🇸 United States

8 museums

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where can I see Alma Thomas paintings?
    Alma Thomas's works can be seen at Smithsonian American Art Museum[6], National Gallery of Art[2], Corcoran Gallery of Art, and 2 other museums worldwide.
  • Was Alma Thomas black?
    Alma Thomas was African-American; she was the first African-American woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum.
  • Why did Alma Thomas became an artist?
    Alma Thomas became a full-time painter when she retired from teaching at sixty-nine, though she had painted throughout her life and studied art at Howard University and Columbia. Her career as an artist took off later in life, with her first major solo exhibition at eighty.
  • When did Alma Thomas retire from teaching?
    Thomas retired from teaching at sixty-nine.
  • Who was Alma Thomas inspired by?
    Her colours were inspired by the gardens and trees she could see from her studio window, and by the stained glass windows she had observed in European cathedrals. Her work owes something to Matisse and something to Byzantine mosaic.
  • What is Alma Thomas best known for?
    Alma Thomas is identified with Colour Field painters.
  • When did Alma Thomas start painting?
    Alma Thomas painted all her life, but she became a full-time painter upon her retirement from teaching.
  • How did Alma Thomas paint?
    Alma Thomas's vividly coloured work corresponds with Colour Field paintings in conveying and invoking emotion through colour and shape.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Alma Thomas's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] museum Whitney Museum of American Art Used for: museum holdings.
  2. [2] museum National Gallery of Art Used for: museum holdings.
  3. [3] museum Art Institute of Chicago Used for: museum holdings.
  4. [4] museum The Phillips Collection Used for: museum holdings.
  5. [5] museum Metropolitan Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
  6. [6] museum Smithsonian American Art Museum Used for: museum holdings.
  7. [7] book Charlotte Mullins, A Little History of Art Used for: biography.
  8. [8] book Fred S. Kleiner, Helen Gardner, Kleiner & Mamiya, Gardner's Art through the Ages, Western Perspective, 16th edition, Vol. 2, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Used for: biography.
  9. [9] book Hodge, Susie, 1960- author, The short story of women artists : a pocket guide to movements, works, breakthroughs, & themes Used for: biography.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-15. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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