The upbeat nature of swing inspired this work by William Henry Johnson. Two dancers lean into each other as they move to the rhythm of the music. Only a few abstracted instruments—drums, clarinet, saxophone, and trombone—represent the full band that would have been playing behind them. Just as the instruments seem to float and merge into one another, so too do the dancers, whose bodies come together as they jitterbug across the floor of the ballroom.

Laurel & Hardy

Friday’s upon us once more and that can only mean one thing, Laurel and Hardy. It’s time for that Friday feeling with the Jitterbugs (1943) film poster.