ST. PETERSBURG, FL.- Members of the Collectors Circle voted for Fletcher Martin’s The Undefeated (about 1948) at Collectors Choice XI on April 27. This powerful American painting is an important addition to the collection and is currently on view at the MFA, located at 255 Beach Drive on the downtown waterfront. The MFA is open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays, with admission reduced to $10 from 5-8.

The work conveys the drama surrounding the great Joe Louis’s last championship match in 1948. Instead of depicting the winner, Martin focused on his opponent, Jersey Joe Walcott, trying to rise after a knockout in the 11th round. He is supported by referee Frank Fullam.

The rivalry between Louis and Walcott was legendary. Both had risen to stardom in the face of terrible discrimination against African American athletes. Louis won a heavily contested 15-round decision against Walcott in 1947, leading to this much publicized rematch.

Walcott may look physically battered in The Undefeated, but the painting’s verticality supports his determination, his effort to move upward. The bold ropes slice through the space, indicating the tension and force of the fight. Martin also emphasizes Walcott’s right arm. The boxer was known for his right punch. In the painting, he is battling himself, his physical limitations, more than champion Joe Louis.

Jersey Joe finally won the heavyweight crown in 1951 at 37. He went on to pursue a number of careers—boxing referee, professional wrestler, and public servant. He even appeared in the move The Harder They Fall (1956) with Humphrey Bogart, and in 1971, became the first African American to be elected sheriff in Camden County, New Jersey. This accomplished man, who had to leave school after his father’s death to support his mother and 11 siblings, spent his life breaking barriers. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 80. He truly was “the undefeated.” Martin’s painting is prescient.

According to Chief Curator Jennifer Hardin, this large-scale work “relates not only to works of the period, like the dramatic posters and paintings of Ben Shahn and murals by John Steuart Curry, but also to canonical subjects in art history, such as martyrdoms and depositions. Martin is represented in a number of major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art.”

Homes by Helen was once again the sponsor of Collectors Choice; Helen Torres announced the winner. Mary Alice McClendon and Lynell Bell chaired the event. Barbara McCoy is President of the Collectors Circle.