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Lot Essay
This work will be included in the forthcoming Hans Hofmann Catalogue Raisonné, sponsored by the Renate, Hans and Maria Hofmann Trust.
While creating a new formal discourse with his abstract work, Hofmann's exuberant use of color bears the legacy of the Fauvist penchant for bold, vibrant and, at times, irrational color. Drawing inspiration from the lively colored landscapes of Maurice Vlaminck, Hofmann creates a captivating work that engages the viewer. An abstract interpretation of the forces its creator defined, Summer Orgy encompasses the 'push' and 'pull' of contrasting colors as well as rhythms produced by motion and counter motion defined by the artist's sweeping gestures.
Distinguished through their relationship to nature, Hofmann's paintings differed from other abstract works from the period. Drawing from the title, the viewer understands the abstract painting to be the joyful celebration of summer, the warmth coupled with verdant fields and clear blue skies. With the rich greens and blues alluding to different aspects of nature, the overall energy of the painting abstractly depicts a luscious natural landscape. Surrounded by an increasingly industrialized society in 20th Century America, the painting and title are tinted with nostalgic and mythical suggestions, adding a romantic quality to the work.
Never completely abandoning subject matter, despite his importance to and influence over abstraction, Hofmann often drew his inspiration from interiors and landscapes, much as Willem de Kooning drew on the female form in his concurrent Woman series. Yet, Hofmann's real subject was the interplay of color, light and space with the goal of distilling the spiritual essence of the thing depicted. Showcasing its creator's passion for color, form and movement, Summer Orgy is an animated and energetic canvas characteristic of Hofmann's painting philosophies.
While creating a new formal discourse with his abstract work, Hofmann's exuberant use of color bears the legacy of the Fauvist penchant for bold, vibrant and, at times, irrational color. Drawing inspiration from the lively colored landscapes of Maurice Vlaminck, Hofmann creates a captivating work that engages the viewer. An abstract interpretation of the forces its creator defined, Summer Orgy encompasses the 'push' and 'pull' of contrasting colors as well as rhythms produced by motion and counter motion defined by the artist's sweeping gestures.
Distinguished through their relationship to nature, Hofmann's paintings differed from other abstract works from the period. Drawing from the title, the viewer understands the abstract painting to be the joyful celebration of summer, the warmth coupled with verdant fields and clear blue skies. With the rich greens and blues alluding to different aspects of nature, the overall energy of the painting abstractly depicts a luscious natural landscape. Surrounded by an increasingly industrialized society in 20
Never completely abandoning subject matter, despite his importance to and influence over abstraction, Hofmann often drew his inspiration from interiors and landscapes, much as Willem de Kooning drew on the female form in his concurrent Woman series. Yet, Hofmann's real subject was the interplay of color, light and space with the goal of distilling the spiritual essence of the thing depicted. Showcasing its creator's passion for color, form and movement, Summer Orgy is an animated and energetic canvas characteristic of Hofmann's painting philosophies.