Art I'm Seeing #44

Since 9/11/2001, there has been a noticeable dearth of grand or even quality art exhibitions in the major museums of the middle Atlantic region. Insurance companies have made it nearly impossible for museums to afford to cover the loss cost of works, and internationally European museums have been skiddish about loaning works to shows in US museums. As a result, museums like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Walter's Gallery (Baltimore), the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.) have only been able to mount smaller and often less interesting exhibits.

"Apples," c. 1925
Charles Demuth
Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, Nebraska.

But there is a delightful exception presently at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Cézanne And American Modernism is an example of a really interesting show that doesn't rely on images from the European Museums, but presents the influences of the Old World on the New with lots of beautiful works and wonderful concepts.
And one of my favorite included influenced artists is Marsden Hartley. There was a retrospective of his works at the Phillip's Collection in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2003,

"Still Life," 1912
Marsden Hartley
Weisman Art Museum,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

and it inspired me to read his autobiography, "Somehow The Past." Between the two events I had a rather dour impression of the artist; and yet, the works in this exhibition really demonstrated how much more complex an artist he was.

"Peaches In A White Bowl," 1910
Charles Sheeler
private collection

I've shared three examples of artists whose still lifes were influenced by Cézanne from the exhibition. Of course, Cezanne's other two major themes, "bathers," and "landscapes" are also generously represented in this show. Be all means check it out, you will have until May 13th to see it here, and then you'll have to catch it in Phoenix.