Art of the 1920’s

Jen Goldsman and Veronica Dallas

Objectives•Precisionism

–Georgia O’Keefe–Edward Hooper

•American Scene Painting/ Regionalism –Grant Wood–Thomas Hart Benton

•Photography–Man Ray

•Abstract expressionism–Jackson Pollock –Willem de Kooning

•Genre Works –George Luks–Charles Hawthorne

Precisionism• Emerged after World War 1• Influenced by Cubism and

Futurism• Mainly focused on

Industrialism and Modernization of the American landscape

• These artists tried to avoid European influence in their work

• Some famous Precisionists were Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper and Charles Demuth

Aucassiu and Nicolette by Charles Demuth

Oil on canvas, 1921

Georgia O’KeeffeNovember 15, 1887- March 6, 1986

•Known for her abstract paintings of flowers, rocks, shells, animal bones and landscapes

•Of Mexican decent, but born in Wisconsin.

•Attended School of the Art Institute of Chicago, later became an elementary art school teacher

•During the 1920’s she moved to New York City and started to focus on oil paintings, particularly of landscapes and architecture.

•By the mid-20’s she was known as one of America’s most important artists

•Her works usually sold for around $25,000

•During the late 20’s, she moved to New Mexico for new inspiration

The following slides are some of Georgia

O’Keeffe’s most famous artworks

Ram's Head White Hollyhock and Little Hills,

1935

White Trumpet Flower 1887-1986

Jack-in-the-Pulpit No. IV 1930

Radiator Building by night 1926

Edward Hopper

• Born in Nyack, New York

• In 1905, be became an illustrator for a magazine, yet grew to hate the job

• Traveled to Europe from time to time for inspiration

• Most popular for his oil paintings; however, he was also skilled in watercolors, printmaking, and etching

• Depicted his personal views of American modern life through his art

• Always paid close attention to geometrical shapes and proper balance of environment within his art

July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967

The following slides are some of Edward Hopper’s most famous artworks

Nighthawks 1942

The Long Leg1935

Chop Suey1829

American Scene Painting/ Regionalism

• Most known for having a “natural” style of painting

• Depicts everyday American life

• Regionalists had a simple way of painting

• Most created works of art of rural landscapes, small towns, and simple people

• Some famous American Scene painters are Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, and John Steuart Curry

Stone City By Grant Wood

1930

Grant Wood• born in Anamosa, Iowa

• Was an apprentice in a metal shop, enrolled in an art school in Minneapolis in 1910

• he became a school teacher, and later attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

• Best known for his paintings depicting the American Midwest

• made trips to Europe and was influenced by Jan Van Eyck

• Helped to found Stone City Art Colony, a small town near his hometown, that helped artists get through the Great Depression

• Grant Wood later went on to teach at University of Iowa's School of Art in 1934

• He died of liver cancer the day before his 51st birthday

February 13, 1891 – February 12, 1942

The following slides are some of Grant Wood’s most famous artworks

Spring In Town

1941

Fall Plowing 1931

American Gothic

1930

*** FUN FACT

Grant Wood’s sister, Nan Wood Graham is the woman modeling in this famous piece

Thomas Hart Benton• Benton was born in Neosho, Missouri• He enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago, but

left for Paris in 1909 to continue his art education at the Académie Julian

• He returned to New York in 1913 and worked as a draftsman for the Navy, which changed his style of painting significantly.

• On December 24, 1934, Benton was featured on the first color cover of Time magazine.

• Benton taught at the Art Students League of New York from 1926 to 1935 and at the Kansas City Art Institute from 1935 to 1941

• Jackson Pollack, a famous abstract artist, was one of his students

• In 1937, he published his critically acclaimed autobiography, An Artist in America, which was praised by Sinclair Lewis: “Here’s a rare thing, a painter who can write.”

• Benton’s sculpture like paintings depicted everyday life in the United States.

April 15, 1889 - January 19, 1975

The following slides are some of Thomas Hart Benton’s most famous

artworks

People of Chilmark 1920

The Twist 1964

Parks, the Circus, the Klan, the

Press

1933

Fisherman at Sunset 1947

Photography• Before the 1920’s “dry-plate” and

“wet-plate” negatives , which made picture taking less cumber some, were used– These never became quite popular

• in 1920, plastic based films were produced, which became very popular

• Different paper used to print the photographs were used– Glass plates and salted paper

• Non curling paper and non flammable plastic based film were key improvements in the 1920’s

• Color film will be developed later in the 1930’s

• Some famous photographers of the 1920’s included Ansel Adams and Man Ray

Ansel Adams

Man Ray• Born in South Philly, Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania• Birth name: Emmanuel Radnitzky

– when he acquired the nickname “Manny,” he changed his name to Man Ray for short

• Described by most as a modernist• Lived in New York for some time, yet

spent most of his life in Paris, France• Met Alice Prin, in France, who became a

model for many of his works• Known for his avant-grade, or

experimental, photography of fashion and portraits

• Apart from photography, Man Ray was also a painter, sculptor, and collage artist

• He also experimented with short films• In 1963 he published his autobiography,

Self-Portrait

August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976

The follow

ing

slides are

some of

Man Ray’s

most famou

s

artworks

Les Champs Délicieux

1976

Iron

Date unknown

Noire et Blanche 1926

Glass Tears 1926

Abstract Expressionism• Post World War II art movement• “energetic” and “rebellious” style• Described as “action painting”• Usually used vibrant, bright

colors, on large canvases• major centers of this style were

New York City, and the San Francisco Bay area of California.

• Some of the most famous Abstract artists included Jackson Pollack, Barnett Newman, Williem de Kooning, and Hans Hofmann

• We are in the process of making the world, to a certain extent, in our own image.“-Barnett Newman

Onement Barnett Newmann

Jackson Pollack• born in Cody, Wyoming• In 1930 he moved to New York and

studied under Thomas Hart Benton• In 1945 he married Lee

Krasner, another abstract artist• Pollock was introduced to the use of

liquid paint in 1936, at an experimental workshop operated in New York City

• he began painting with his canvases laid out on the studio floor, and developed what was later called his "drip" technique

• He was nicknamed “Jack the Dipper” after his techniques

• Pollock's technique of pouring and dripping paint is thought to be one of the origins of the term action painting

• His style was focused on the movement of his hand and how the paint absorbed into the canvas

• Jackson numbered his paintings because he thought titles distracted from the art

January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956

The following slides are some of Jackson

Pollack’s most famous artworks

Number 18

1956

Number 8 1949

Number 1 (Lavender Mist)

1950

Willem de Kooning• Most known for his abstract paintings• born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands • He attended the Rotterdam Academy of

Fine Arts and Techniques for eight years• In 1926, De Kooning entered the United

States as a stowaway on a British freighter, the SS Shelly, to Newport News, Virginia

• He supported himself as a housepainter until he moved into his own studio in 1927

• Kooning is known for his bold style• He overlaps objects to create dimension

throughout the work• Kooning focuses most of his painting on

human figures as well as landscapes• His paintings sell for millions of dollars

April 24, 1904 – March 19, 1997

The following slides are some of Willem de

Kooning’s most famous artworks

Woman V 1952

Excavation 1950

No title

1988

Asheville

1948

Genre Works• Also called “realists”• Represented scenes of everyday life

– Usually of markets, parties, streets, inns…etc.

• Ordinary people doing common activities

• Paintings were usually not as colorful as other styles of the period

• Genre works generally have a more realists look to them compared to abstract and surrealism

• Some of the most famous genre artists of the period include George Luks and Charles Hawthorne

Peasant Dance, 1568, oil on wood, by Pieter Brueghel

George LuksAugust 13, 1867- October 29, 1933

• Born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania• Luks studied at the Pennsylvania Academy

before he traveled though Europe where he attended several art schools

• returned to Philadelphia in 1893 where he was an illustrator for the Philadelphia Press

• Was part of a group of artists that called each other “the Philadelphia Five”

– Later became “the Eight” when three other members joined

• Painted scenes of everyday life– Most famous for his scenes of life in

New York City• Very skilled at capturing gestures, as well

as background details• Was known for being a rebel; his friends

adored him because of his humor and the way he inspired them

• "I'm George Luks, and I'm a rare bird. You people stick with me and you'll have a good time."

The following slides are some of George Luk’s most famous artworks

Street Scene (Hester Street ) 1905

In the Steerage 1900

New York City

Date unknown

When using an art grid technique, you find that the focal point of the painting is where the mother is tugging on the little boy’s ear. Notice that certain heads in the painting are turned toward this scene to bring your eyes into the center.

Charles Hawthorne• American portrait and Genre

Painter• Born in Maine• Worked in a stain glass

factory in New York• Studied abroad in both

Holland and Italy• Traveled to France from time

to time• Founded the Cape Cod

School of Art in 1899• Norman Rockwell was one of

his students• Known for his tones and

values in oil paintings

January 8, 1872 – November 29, 1930

Self portrait of Charles Hawthorne when he was young

The following slides are some of Charles

Hawthorne’s most famous artworks

Crew of the Philomena Manta 1915

Girl in the Yellow Scarf 1904

A Study in White 1925

thank you for watching our presentation, we

hoped you enjoyed it and learned more about art

of the 1920’s

The End