1 9 4 5 MAx WeBer (American, 1881-1961) Blue <strong>and</strong> red, 1945 oil on canvas 13 3/8 in. x 20 1/4 in. Gift <strong>of</strong> Maynard J. <strong>and</strong> Dorothy F. Weber 1994.153 18 | <strong>Cur<strong>at</strong>ors</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>Work</strong>
A prolific artist with a lengthy career, Max Weber chose still life as one <strong>of</strong> his primary directions. While Weber is recognized today as the first American to seriously paint in the Cubist style, he is known as an Expressionist who touched on virtually every phase <strong>of</strong> Modernism throughout his career. 1 Throughout the 1930s, ‘40s <strong>and</strong> ‘50s, working in different styles, Weber cre<strong>at</strong>ed many sign<strong>at</strong>ure still life works for which he was praised <strong>and</strong> became famous. Many <strong>of</strong> the artist’s still life vari<strong>at</strong>ions fe<strong>at</strong>ure a scalloped bowl like the one fe<strong>at</strong>ured in the work Blue <strong>and</strong> Red, (1945) in the collection <strong>of</strong> the Muscarelle Museum <strong>of</strong> Art. The image <strong>of</strong> the scalloped bowl is taken from an actual white vessel owned by the Weber family. The colonial bowl – as it is called in other paintings – is now in the possession <strong>of</strong> Weber’s daughter, Joy. 2 Weber was fascin<strong>at</strong>ed by certain objects he repe<strong>at</strong>edly painted throughout his life. The colonial bowl probably served as a touchstone <strong>of</strong> sorts for him. 3 Blue <strong>and</strong> Red is a characteristic work <strong>of</strong> the 1940s when Weber looked back to his earlier career <strong>and</strong> addressed cubist forms in new ways. This still life is noticeably more aligned with Synthetic Cubism than his earlier work. 3 In addition to a vessel, Blue <strong>and</strong> Red also represents apples <strong>and</strong> a loaf <strong>of</strong> bread. These are the typical motifs found in Weber’s still life compositions. Similar motifs in a simple arrangement are found in a 1908 still life by Pablo Picasso th<strong>at</strong> Weber bought directly from him in Paris. 5 During Weber’s four years <strong>of</strong> study <strong>and</strong> travel in Europe between 1905 <strong>and</strong> 1909, he came into contact with, <strong>and</strong> was very much affected by, the Parisian avant garde. 7 The artist briefly studied under M<strong>at</strong>isse <strong>and</strong> became acquainted with Henri Rousseau <strong>and</strong> Pablo Picasso. He also was introduced to Paul Cézanne’s work in the 1906 Salon d’Automne. 8 These modern artistic perspectives had an immense impact on the rest <strong>of</strong> Weber’s career. He was most influenced by Cézanne, whom he revered as the “f<strong>at</strong>her <strong>of</strong> modern painting”. In Blue <strong>and</strong> Red this influence is especially apparent in the str<strong>at</strong>egically tilted table top th<strong>at</strong> allows the viewer to see the objects on top more clearly. Blue <strong>and</strong> Red is represent<strong>at</strong>ive <strong>of</strong> Weber’s tendency toward abstractions in which the subject m<strong>at</strong>ter remains largely recognizable. According to Weber expert Dr. Percy North, Blue <strong>and</strong> Red is among a group <strong>of</strong> paintings th<strong>at</strong> reflect Weber’s return to the investig<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> cubist str<strong>at</strong>egies after 25 years <strong>of</strong> exploring other pictorial avenues. 9 1 Percy North email correspondence March 23, 2011; Alfred Werner, Max Weber (New York: Harry Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 1975), 15; Cecilia Bonn, “Max Weber: Paintings from the 1930s, 40s, <strong>and</strong> 50s,” (New York: Gerald Peters Gallery, 2008). 2 Percy North email correspondence March 23, 2011 3 Percy North email correspondence March 23, 2011 4 Percy North email correspondence March 23, 2011 5 Percy North, “Bringing Cubism to America: Max Weber <strong>and</strong> Pablo Erin Sexton ‘11 Picasso,” American Art 14 (2000) 65. 6 Sylvan Cole Jr., foreword to Max Weber: lithographs New York: Associ<strong>at</strong>ed American Artists, 1970. 7 Bonn, “Max Weber: Paintings from the 1930s, 40s <strong>and</strong> 50s.” 8 Gail Stavitsky, “Cézanne <strong>and</strong> American Modernism,” in Cézanne <strong>and</strong> American Modernism, ed. Gail Stavitsky <strong>and</strong> K<strong>at</strong>herine Rothkopf (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009), 24. 9 Percy North email correspondence March 23, 2011 16 Memor<strong>and</strong>a for 16 Artists | 19
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- Page 28 and 29: 1 9 7 4 JiM Dine (American, b. 1935
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