Ary Stillman: From Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism

Born Hyman Aron Stelmach in a small, predominantly Jewish village situated in the southwestern region of the former Russian Empire, Ary Stillman (1891-1967) was a key figure in the development of twentieth-century modern art. Having abandoned the papular, impressionist technique of his early career, Stillman attracted great critical acclaim during the mid-twentieth century as a member of the New York School and the avant-garde wing of the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, exhibiting regularly and receiving favorable attention in the press. A period in Mexico in the late 1950s and early 1960s saw the artist produce some of his strongest works. Yet despite his many accomplishments, Stillman remains relatively unknown, and, until recently,his contribution to modern art had been largely overlooked.
This illustrated volume - the first major monograph ever devoted to Stillman - is a timely and revealing examination of a remarkable talent, encompassing every phase of Stillman's stylistic development, from his early representational painting to his striking post-war Abstract Expressionist works. With contributions from prominent curators, critics, and art historians, the book comprises o detailed overview of the artist's life and achievements together with essays on more specific aspects of his oeuvre, including Stillman's Paris period, his innovative "white line" drawings, his Mexican paintings, and the influence on his work of his Jewish identity. Featuring a comprehensive selection of Stillman's drawings and paintings, this beautiful book restores the artist to his rightful place among the most important names of twentieth-century art.

Donald Kuspit is a prominent art Critic and writer, and Philosophy at the State University of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook.