Scenes of America Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Christ, J. X. "Stuart Davis as Public Artist: American Painting and the Reconstruction of the Public Sphere." Oxford Art Journal 37.1 (2014): 65-82. Oxford Journals [Oxford UP]. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
This excerpt from the book goes explains in detail the cultural and demographic factors that influenced the movement. The movement is organized and explained in stages. The author also mentions key places that played a main role in the American Scene Painting such as The Downtown Gallery. Various paintings are reviewed and analyzed for their influence on American Scene painting.
Corn, Wanda M. "The Birth of a National Icon: Grant Wood's "American Gothic"" Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies 10.The Art Institute of Chicago Centennial Lectures (1983): 252-75. JSTOR. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
This article examines the history behind Grant Wood’s American Gothic and explores the artist’s intentions for the painting. The article takes a look at Wood’s influences from his trip to Munich in 1928 to more American sources of photography and writing. The article also examines the claims that the painting is satirical in nature. The article looks at why Wood chose the house and the extensive research he did by looking at photographs of how people would have looked back when the house was created in the 1880’s. Although many people have thought the painting showed a married couple, Wood actually intended it to be an unwed daughter and her father.
“Drought Stricken Area.” Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 27 Sep. 2015.
https://www.dma.org/collection/artwork/alexandre-hogue/drouth-stricken-area
This website gives general information about Alexandre Hogue’s “Drought Stricken Area” as well as additional information about the artists and his intention behind the piece. A brief biography of the artist is provided as well as incite about the piece such as its subject and the artist’s intended message. It gives information on this piece as well as the five others in his “Erosion” collection. It also provides information about where to see this painting in person within the Dallas Museum of Art.
"Edward Hopper: Tables for Ladies" (31.62) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/31.62.
This webpage gave me all of the information I was looking for in order to learn about this piece. The information listed within the page also helped me to learn not only about the historical context of the painting itself but the artist’s feelings and interpretations of this information. The writing was strong while also being very easy to understand and gave me a more depth analysis of the painting.
Greenhalgh, Adam. "Yasuo Kuniyoshi's Cows in Pasture." Gastronomica 9.3 (2003): 15-21. JSTOR. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
This article explores the early years of Yasuo Kuniyoshi’s art career and examines his use of cows and bovine imagery as a theme, specifically in the painting Cows in Pasture (1923). Greenhalgh also investigates the critical response to the cow subject matter, which ranged from comedic interpretations to a slight bewilderment. Kuniyoshi eventually abandoned the cow imagery and thought of it as a symbol of a happier time in his life. Cows in Pasture was instrumental in keeping Kuniyoshi from being harassed by the US government in the days after Pearl Harbor, with a significant letter wiping his person of interest which came from the brother of the owner of the painting.
Kendall, M. Sue. "American Scene Painting." Oxford Art Online. Grove Art Online, 16 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 Sept. 2015. <http://www.oxfordartonline.com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/subscriber/article/grove/art/T002330>.
This article briefly explains the American Scene Painting Movement and the main artists associated with the movement. The principal motives behind the movement and the social context are discussed. The article also mentions a list of works that characterized and/or defined the movement.
"Labor Disputes." Economics_Thomas Hart Benton. Columbus Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. <http://artandsocialissues.cmaohio.org/web-content/pages/econ_benton.html>.
This webpage was instrumental in my research for an American Scene painting during this 1930s. Thomas Hart Benton was one of the prominent painters of this movement and I wanted to find a piece by him that was not very popular but still had a giant impact and message behind it. Strike was that piece, and this webpage gave me all of the tools to bring that piece to light within the exhibition. I hope that through my interpretation of the information provided by this source, I can help a viewer gain insight to American Scene painting.
Millard, Charles W. "Edward Hopper." The Hudson Review 34.3 (1981): 390-96. JSTOR. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
This article takes a look at Edward Hopper’s evolution as a painter throughout the years of his life. It starts by examining some of Hopper’s earliest works and then explores the influence of his multiple trips to Paris. The article examines Hopper’s reintroduction of the figure into his work and the consequences. Many have seen these singular figures as representations of loneliness and isolation although the artist has frequently denied these claims. The article suggests that these figures are seen as such due to their scale compared to the rest of the composition and the fact that these figures are often unnecessary in Hopper’s works. The article examines Hopper’s use of space, architecture and angles as well as his use of color and values. The article ends by suggesting that Hopper was essentially an abstract painter of geometric forms although he never made the leap to pure abstraction.
Reflections on the Artistic Journey of Yasuo Kuniyoshi with Tom Wolf. Perf. Tom Wolf. YouTube. Smithsonian American Art Museum, 10 Apr. 2015. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mil_oee98K0>.
Tom Wolf, exhibition co-curator, professor of art history at Bard College, and Kuniyoshi scholar, presents an overview of The Artistic Journey of Yasuo Kuniyoshi exhibition in the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Wolf presents some of Kuniyoshi’s oil paintings and ink drawings, some of which do not appear in the Smithsonian’s show. He points out certain recurring imagery and themes in his work like fear, lighthouses, and children. Kuniyoshi’s works are very idiosyncratic, often referencing his own life as a Japanese immigrant to America in the early 20th century and his interpretation of Japanese and American culture. Wolf also presents biographical information to contextualize Kuniyoshi’s work.
Richardson, Sarah. “Mural Master: Thomas Hart Benton’s Paean to America.” American History 5 (2014): 52. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Sept. 2015
Richardson describes in detail Thomas Hart Benton’s America Today mural series and the history behind it. She captures Benton’s intent and essence in his work, “the rush of life,” as he would describe it. One of the key elements she explores is the influence of Mexican muralists such as Diego Rivera on Benton’s paintings. Benton’s work also had a lasting influence on artists to come in the 20th century, including Jackson Pollock.
Sampsell, Kate. “The Testifying Eye: Ben Shahn in New York.” American Quarterly 53.1 (2001): 94. America: History & Life. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
In her article, Sampsell discusses American Social Realist Ben Shahn’s work as a testament to the injustices he saw occurring in the world every day. The article also outlines the vast variation in his choice of subjects, never lingering on one for too long. She concludes that in order to understand Shahn’s leftist politics and social realism, one must view his work within the context of the Great Depression.
Werner, Alfred. “Ghetto Graduates: Jewish Immigrant Artists in America.” The American Art Journal 5.2 (1973): 71-82. 27 Sep. 2015.
This article discusses the reasons behind the lack of Jewish artists working in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The biggest hindrance to Jewish artists is the biblical law against “graven” images is taken very seriously in the Jewish faith and does not allow children to be brought up exposed to artworks. The article also discusses how Abraham Soyer, father to Moses, Raphael and Isaac Soyer, was an intellectual man and writer. He raised his children in a home that was decorated with small reproductions of classic works, and told his sons of the great masters of the Renaissance. Consequently, all three sons grew up to become artists. The author also touches on the rising tensions and Anti-Semitic feelings growing in the 1930’s when Isaac Soyer and his brothers were working.