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Lot Essay
As our eyes trace what should be the perfectly straight edge of the graduated cylinder in Paul Outerbridge’s Chemistry, 1923, we lose clarity as the mid-tone grey shadows merge with the tones at the center of the glass tube to the right. The exactness of scientific measurement is superseded by the artist’s desire to explore the reflective possibilities of translucent glass contrasted with opaque materials. Through the delicate play of light and shadow, Outerbridge coaxes to the surface the dynamic abstract qualities dormant in utilitarian scientific containers.
A de-contextualization of the vernacular and a de-rationalization of the physical, Outerbridge said of his still-lifes that he ‘was not taking a portrait of these objects, but merely using them to form a purely abstract composition.’ The scale of this print, measuring 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches, also serves as a mode of abstraction, further separating the objects captured in the studio from their artistic rendering on paper. Such a change in size augments and subverts our codified habits of viewership through an alchemy all its own.
Outerbridge, an exacting and meticulous printer, chose to work with platinum for its rich tonal quality and precision softness. With the advent of the Second World War, however, platinum papers became scarce, thus limiting the number of prints he produced. Platinum prints by the artist are, consequently, incredibly rare. This stunning example of Chemisty is one of five known platinum prints made of the image.
A de-contextualization of the vernacular and a de-rationalization of the physical, Outerbridge said of his still-lifes that he ‘was not taking a portrait of these objects, but merely using them to form a purely abstract composition.’ The scale of this print, measuring 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches, also serves as a mode of abstraction, further separating the objects captured in the studio from their artistic rendering on paper. Such a change in size augments and subverts our codified habits of viewership through an alchemy all its own.
Outerbridge, an exacting and meticulous printer, chose to work with platinum for its rich tonal quality and precision softness. With the advent of the Second World War, however, platinum papers became scarce, thus limiting the number of prints he produced. Platinum prints by the artist are, consequently, incredibly rare. This stunning example of Chemisty is one of five known platinum prints made of the image.