American Art

Trouble-fête

Enrico Donati, Trouble-fête, 1944
Where do you find art in the natural world?

Trouble-fête is one of Donati's most important paintings inspired by his fascination with the mandrake root — mandrakes are famous for their roots, which bear a striking resemblance to the human figure, and he saw these roots as talismans for his biomorphic paintings. Donati curves the horizon above the mandrake-like figures, shaping the sky into a planet-like form, blurring the terrestrial and celestial realms.

Trouble-fête

Enrico Donati, Trouble-fête, 1944
Where do you find art in the natural world?

Trouble-fête is one of Donati's most important paintings inspired by his fascination with the mandrake root — mandrakes are famous for their roots, which bear a striking resemblance to the human figure, and he saw these roots as talismans for his biomorphic paintings. Donati curves the horizon above the mandrake-like figures, shaping the sky into a planet-like form, blurring the terrestrial and celestial realms.

Study of Architecture, Florence

John Singer Sargent, Study of Architecture, Florence, ca. 1910
How do artists use architecture to describe their relationship with a place?

In this view of Florence, Italy, Sargent places the viewer in front of the portico of the Uffizi Gallery. We look through the columns and archways towards the lush Boboli Gardens across the Arno River. Sargent collapses the distance between these two landmarks, creating a single place where the morning sun illuminates the day, bathing the city's great artistic and natural treasures in a golden glow.

Study of Architecture, Florence

John Singer Sargent, Study of Architecture, Florence, ca. 1910
How do artists use architecture to describe their relationship with a place?

In this view of Florence, Italy, Sargent places the viewer in front of the portico of the Uffizi Gallery. We look through the columns and archways towards the lush Boboli Gardens across the Arno River. Sargent collapses the distance between these two landmarks, creating a single place where the morning sun illuminates the day, bathing the city's great artistic and natural treasures in a golden glow.

Study of Architecture, Florence

John Singer Sargent, Study of Architecture, Florence, ca. 1910
How do artists use architecture to describe their relationship with a place?

In this view of Florence, Italy, Sargent places the viewer in front of the portico of the Uffizi Gallery. We look through the columns and archways towards the lush Boboli Gardens across the Arno River. Sargent collapses the distance between these two landmarks, creating a single place where the morning sun illuminates the day, bathing the city's great artistic and natural treasures in a golden glow.

Black Sea

Milton Avery, Black Sea, 1945
How do artists depict the changing times of day?

Black Sea was painted at a pivotal point in the artist's career, one year after his first major museum exhibition. The subject almost certainly was inspired by his regular summer vacations in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he sketched and painted outdoors. Avery often painted watercolors on site, and he would later translate these compositions into oils in his New York studio. The striking black and yellow colors evoke the moments after sunset, when the sunlight gradually fades into darkness.

Black Sea

Milton Avery, Black Sea, 1945
How do artists depict the changing times of day?

Black Sea was painted at a pivotal point in the artist's career, one year after his first major museum exhibition. The subject almost certainly was inspired by his regular summer vacations in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he sketched and painted outdoors. Avery often painted watercolors on site, and he would later translate these compositions into oils in his New York studio. The striking black and yellow colors evoke the moments after sunset, when the sunlight gradually fades into darkness.

Black Sea

Milton Avery, Black Sea, 1945
How do artists depict the changing times of day?

Black Sea was painted at a pivotal point in the artist's career, one year after his first major museum exhibition. The subject almost certainly was inspired by his regular summer vacations in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he sketched and painted outdoors. Avery often painted watercolors on site, and he would later translate these compositions into oils in his New York studio. The striking black and yellow colors evoke the moments after sunset, when the sunlight gradually fades into darkness.