OSCAR BLUEMNER: A Passion for Color

Haskell, Barbara; Birkmaier, Ulrich; New York. Whi

ISBN 10: 0874271495 / ISBN 13: 9780874271492

Published by 2005, 2005

About this Item

Haskell, Barbara with Ulrich Birkmaier. OSCAR BLUEMNER: A Passion for Color. Foreword by Adam D. Weinberg; 240 pp., 145 color and 21 b&w figures. 4to, cloth. New York, Whitney Museum of American Art in association with Harry N. Abrams, 2005. This book, the most substantial monograph in English on Bluemner ever published (and the only one currently in print), examines the evolution of his career from his early education as an architect in Germany to his role as leading figure in American modernism. For this full-scale, scholarly study the authors examined previously unknown biographical material, Bluemner's journals, contemporary documents, and correspondance with friends and patrons. The reproductions are exceptionally vivid, and reinforce the authors' in-depth discussion of the central role of color in his work. A must-have reference.

Seller Inventory # 116979

Bibliographic Details

• Title: OSCAR BLUEMNER: A Passion for Color
• Publisher: 2005
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0874271495
• ISBN 13: 9780874271492
• Binding: Hardcover

About this title

Synopsis

The work of painter Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938), though revered among connoisseurs of early American modernism, is relatively unfamiliar to the general public. An important member of the circle of artists that formed around Alfred Stieglitz's 291 Gallery, Bluemner is best known for his boldly simplified geometric compositions and provocative use of color, and his paintings have been compared to those of Marsden Hartley, Charles Demuth, and Georgia O'Keeffe. Published to accompany a major exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art, this book will be nothing short of a "discovery" to most art lovers.

The catalogue, by Whitney curator Barbara Haskell, analyzes the evolution of Bluemner's work and places it within the context of the artist's life and the aesthetic currents of European and American modernism. The superb color plates show how, with its intense coloration and simple, recognizable shapes, Bluemner's work is immediately accessible even to those who have had little exposure to modern art.

About the Author

Barbara Haskell has been a curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art since 1975. A well-known scholar on American art, Haskell organized the landmark exhibition The American Century; Art & Culture 1900-1950 and wrote its accompanying book. She has authored monographs on early-20th-century American modernists and organized numerous exhibitions and written on contemporary art and artists.