Avery's work is crucial to American abstract painting. Avery
defied conventional perspective in order to create
representational, but highly abstract paintings. His work was
initially rejected as being too abstract or out of the norm. Later,
as abstract expressionism took hold in America, he work was
considered too representational. Morning Workout 1955
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ROSES BY THE SEA
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From 1891 to 1894, Prendergast lived in Paris, where he studied
painting and developed his understanding post- impressionism. Upon
his return, he became associated with a group of artists known as
The Eight, who championed a more progressive approach to art. He
traveled to Europe many times between 1898 and 1914. The artist's
assimilation of the avant-garde styles of Czanne and Matisse is
evident in his use of strokes of vivid colors in intricate,
decorative patterns that draw attention to the picture's surface.
Bathing, Marblehead 1897
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Arthur Dove is known as one of Americas first true abstract
artists. His paintings depict the American landscape through a
reductionists approach of bringing the forms down to their essence.
There is a quality of nature that stays within the work even as the
forms and shapes take on more non- representational aspects. In his
first one-person exhibition, held at Stieglitz's Gallery 291 in
1912, Dove established himself as one of Americas most prolific and
inventive artists working with abstraction. His work has inspired
many future generations. Goat, ca. 1934
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Demuth is known for his cubist style works depicting the
Pennsylvania landscape and cityscapes. He studied at the Drexel
Institute of Art and later at the Pennsylvania Institute of Art and
Academy of Fine Art in Pennsylvania. Charles studied briefly with
the French cubist Albert Gleizes in Bermuda in 1917. After
returning to the United states, he developed his own precisionist
style of painting. Trees & Barns: Bermuda
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Eakins was a native born artist who is best known for his
starkly realistic paintings. Most notable is the Gross Clinic
(1875, Oil on canvas, 96 X 78Jefferson Medical College,
Philadelphia). John Biglin in a Single Scull, ca. 1873
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Wyeth was the son of the famous illustrator, N.C Wyeth. He was
a child prodigy who quickly developed a reputation for detailed
realism. Wyeth focused his career on depicting the landscape and
people around Chadds Ford Pennsylvania and his summer home in
Cushing, Maine. Wyeths regionalist style captured the gritty
ruggedness of both people and land. He was wildly popular during
his lifetime and inspired many future artists. He is best known for
his works in watercolor and egg tempera.
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OKeeffe brought her own personal instincts and style to the
American art scene in the early 1900s. Her paintings show an
economy of detail with an emphasis on form, color, and shadow and
exude of sense of Modernism. She worked both representationally and
abstractly to reveal a unique vision of the southwest. Most
noteworthy are her large floral paintings. Untitled, 1917
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Marin travelled to Europe from 1905 to 1910 and returned to
America after being influence by the works of Cezanne. He was
introduced to Alfred Stieglitz soon after his return, and under the
direction of The Stieglitz 291 gallery, he began to interpret New
York through an abstract watercolor style, the likes of which had
not been previously seen in America. Sunset, 1922
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John Singer Sargent was born January 12, 1856 to American
parents living in Florence, Italy. Although he spent most of his
life in Europe, both of his parents were raised in the United
States and the artist considered himself to be an American.
Venetian Canal, 1913
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Winslow Homer was a self- taught artist and illustrator who
worked as a documentary artist during the Civil War. After a visit
to France where Homer was exposed to the work of Barbizon School of
painters, Homer adopted his mature style and sense of Realism. He
later moved to Maine, where he painted several marine style
landscapes.