Scenes of America
Often characterized by their warm color palettes and their vivid depiction of quotidian life events, the term American Scene Painting refers to a style of realism that emerged between the 1920s and the 1940s. Exposing themes such as Social Realism and American Regionalism, the term officially entered the fine arts vocabulary in the early 1920’s and was first applied to Charles Burchfield’s paintings. This collection of works, comprised exclusively by American imagery, primarily aimed to chronicle, if not exalt, rural small-town America. Painted in a detailed, naturalistic style, these images sprouted in an effort to re-establish the American artistic style, as well as a response to the post-war stresses caused by resistance to modernization, the challenged American Democracy and other deterrents to social integration.
Through these creations, artists sought new sources of aesthetic, spiritual and cultural renewal, and thus were able to successfully restore faith in the “American System.” Ordinary, everyday scenes that would otherwise seem mundane transformed into vibrant, fascinating, conspicuous compositions exploring neglected aspects of American Society. Comparable elements are present in such iconic works as Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks or Grant Wood’s American Gothic.
The aforementioned Nighthawks, as well as Isaac Soyer’s Employment Agency, transcend the realm of mere ensembles of artistic elements as they manage to capture various, individual realities within one composition. This new inventive way of looking at routine life events made its way into the ranks of American culture and history, defining a new appreciation for life in the United States. We are particularly fond of this movement and the ideals behind the artists.
Yasuo Kuniyoshi 1923 Oil on canvas 20 1/8" x 30 1/8" Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Kuniyoshi’s idiosyncratic imagery makes him a unique figure in the American Scene movement. He was born in the year of the cow, and thus considered bovines icons of his fate. This work is an example of a cow motif which he abandoned in 1924. He said the composition and palette of this piece corresponded with his later works.
Yasuo Kuniyoshi c. 1922 - 1923 Oil on canvas 30 1/4" x 24 1/8" Phillips Collection Kuniyoshi spent time in an art colony in Ogunquit, Maine, where many of his paintings are set. A depiction of subtle fear is a theme at this time, which is why the family avoids the viewer’s eye. The deep red-brown of the house is thought to be a reference to the color of traditional Japanese lacquer and can be found in many other works.
Thomas Hart Benton ca. 1933 Lithograph 9 5/8” x 10 ¾” Columbus Museum of Art Benson’s Strike, influenced by his tour of mining factories in West Virginia, depicts a rise against oppression. The artist worked closely with the mines and their miners and joined them in political groups. The miners are the main focus with their faceless oppressors pointing weapons. The most interesting part of this image is the small figure in right of the piece, rumored to represent a miner running from the strike.
Yasuo Kuniyoshi 1923 Oil on canvas 20 1/8" x 30 1/8" Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Kuniyoshi’s idiosyncratic imagery makes him a unique figure in the American Scene movement. He was born in the year of the cow, and thus considered bovines icons of his fate. This work is an example of a cow motif which he abandoned in 1924. He said the composition and palette of this piece corresponded with his later works.
"This is the Chicago Art Institute. Which when I was in highschool, was a place of refuge for me."
- John Huges
Art, including that work of the American Scene Painting movement, will always have a long lasting effect on the generations that view it. Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, amoung other prominante works of art, is featured in the film Ferris Buller's Day Off. John Hughes, writer, director, and producer of the film, explains why he chose to include The Art Institute of Chicago and it's artwork 1968 cult classic.