This painting, which is yet another portrait of James Baldwin, exemplifies the point Beauford had reached in his artistic exploration and production during his New York years. Baldwin sits with his legs crossed and his arms outstretched, suspended among a foliage of colors and geometric forms. Before Beauford left for Paris, he was creating wonderfully abstract cityscapes and paintings with blocks of colors and geometric shapes. His inspirations from these times, Stuart Davis and Vincent Van Gogh, are recognizable in this Baldwin portrait with the energetic brushstrokes and bright abstracted forms that decorate the background. While this portrait is an exploration of Beauford’s own artistic techniques and sensibilities, it is also a reflection of his perception of Baldwin: a lively, larger than life figure that jumps off the canvas, transcending any setting or point in space.