GENERAL DESCRIPTION
After moving to the United States, George Grosz claimed to have abandoned the political engagement of his earlier work and turned his attention to a new subject matter, particularly landscapes and nudes. These soothing images struck many of his old friends as a cynical retreat from his earlier political images. Grosz, though, claimed for himself a dual artistic nature, with both dark and light subjects competing for his attention. In this, he felt a profound kinship to the Spanish painter Francisco Goya, who was a touchstone throughout his career.
Excerpt from
Heather MacDonald, DMA label copy, 2012.
NOTES
n.d. (making date "probably after year 1932" making search dates 1933-1959 to mark the year he moved to NY and started working in this style, see pg. 22-23 of Flower of the Prairie)
Object File Reviewed
From H. Bober:
There were also some low points, the Communist Controversy.
In March 1955, The Public Affairs Luncheon Club, a local women's group, accused the Museum of exhibiting the work by artists with Communist affiliations. Bywaters, in an effort to diffuse the controversy announced to the press “We believe that the people of Dallas are intelligent enough to decide this matter for themselves” and hung three paintings by supposed communist artists near the entrance for easy viewing with a sign “These paintings are by artists listed by the Public Affairs Luncheon Club resolution as presented concepts of communism.” This is one of the works Bywaters hung, “Model Arranging Hair” by George Grosz. As abstract art in general was also getting pulled into the communist-fray, a few abstract paintings were also hung with a sign “Abstract art is not Communist Art”; attendance was apparently larger than usual that Sunday.
Our initial response in April 1955 the DMFA stated “It is not our policy to knowingly acquire or exhibit the work of a person known by us to be now a Communist or of Communist-front affiliation, or otherwise give aid or comfort to any Communist.” Later that year, on December 7, 1955, the Board of Trustees issued a statement that they would "exhibit and acquire works of art only on the basis of their merit as works of art."
The red scare would rear its ugly head again with two exhibitions, Family of Man in 1955 and Sport in Art in 1956 with groups demanding the removal of works in the shows by supposedly communist or communist-affiliated artists. This is one of the worked that some has objection to, Leon Kroll.
The Controversy led in some degree to the establishment of the Dallas Museum for Contemporary Arts, which as a private institution would be less subject to protests since they were not receiving city funding.
Very Similar works by George Grosz:
Stehender Rückenakt http://www.artnet.com/artists/george-grosz/stehender-r%C3%BCckenakt-kW9tayAPXf6uH3zGyczhyg2
Stehender Rückenakt http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23578/lot/49/?category=results&length=90&page=1
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Place of origin: New York (New York/United States): TGN: 7007567
Process/materials
Oil on cardboard
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1949: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, purchased from Associated American Artists, Inc., New York [1]
[1] The Dallas Art Association is the predecessor to the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. The name was abandoned in 1970. Works from this collection were transferred to the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
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IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Museum of Modern Art~Check out a painting with a similar subject by George Grosz titled Self-Portrait with a Model.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
- In March 1955, The Public Affairs Luncheon Club, a local women's group, accused the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (now the DMA) of exhibiting works by artists with Communist affiliations. Bywaters, in an effort to diffuse the controversy announced to the press that the Museum believed that the people of Dallas are intelligent enough to decide this matter for themselves and hung three paintings by supposed communist artists near the entrance for easy viewing with a sign “These paintings are by artists listed by the Public Affairs Luncheon Club resolution as presenting concepts of communism.” Model Arranging Hair by George Grosz is one of the works Bywaters hung.
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General Description
After moving to the United States, George Grosz claimed to have abandoned the political engagement of his earlier work and turned his attention to a new subject matter, particularly landscapes and nudes. These soothing images struck many of his old friends as a cynical retreat from his earlier political images. Grosz, though, claimed for himself a dual artistic nature, with both dark and light subjects competing for his attention. In this, he felt a profound kinship to the Spanish painter Francisco Goya, who was a touchstone throughout his career.
Excerpt from
Heather MacDonald, DMA label copy, 2012.
Fun Facts
- In March 1955, The Public Affairs Luncheon Club, a local women's group, accused the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (now the DMA) of exhibiting works by artists with Communist affiliations. Bywaters, in an effort to diffuse the controversy announced to the press that the Museum believed that the people of Dallas are intelligent enough to decide this matter for themselves and hung three paintings by supposed communist artists near the entrance for easy viewing with a sign “These paintings are by artists listed by the Public Affairs Luncheon Club resolution as presenting concepts of communism.” Model Arranging Hair by George Grosz is one of the works Bywaters hung.
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Museum of Modern Art~Check out a painting with a similar subject by George Grosz titled Self-Portrait with a Model.
Notes
n.d. (making date "probably after year 1932" making search dates 1933-1959 to mark the year he moved to NY and started working in this style, see pg. 22-23 of Flower of the Prairie)
Object File Reviewed
From H. Bober:
There were also some low points, the Communist Controversy.
In March 1955, The Public Affairs Luncheon Club, a local women's group, accused the Museum of exhibiting the work by artists with Communist affiliations. Bywaters, in an effort to diffuse the controversy announced to the press “We believe that the people of Dallas are intelligent enough to decide this matter for themselves” and hung three paintings by supposed communist artists near the entrance for easy viewing with a sign “These paintings are by artists listed by the Public Affairs Luncheon Club resolution as presented concepts of communism.” This is one of the works Bywaters hung, “Model Arranging Hair” by George Grosz. As abstract art in general was also getting pulled into the communist-fray, a few abstract paintings were also hung with a sign “Abstract art is not Communist Art”; attendance was apparently larger than usual that Sunday.
Our initial response in April 1955 the DMFA stated “It is not our policy to knowingly acquire or exhibit the work of a person known by us to be now a Communist or of Communist-front affiliation, or otherwise give aid or comfort to any Communist.” Later that year, on December 7, 1955, the Board of Trustees issued a statement that they would "exhibit and acquire works of art only on the basis of their merit as works of art."
The red scare would rear its ugly head again with two exhibitions, Family of Man in 1955 and Sport in Art in 1956 with groups demanding the removal of works in the shows by supposedly communist or communist-affiliated artists. This is one of the worked that some has objection to, Leon Kroll.
The Controversy led in some degree to the establishment of the Dallas Museum for Contemporary Arts, which as a private institution would be less subject to protests since they were not receiving city funding.
Very Similar works by George Grosz:
Stehender Rückenakt http://www.artnet.com/artists/george-grosz/stehender-r%C3%BCckenakt-kW9tayAPXf6uH3zGyczhyg2
Stehender Rückenakt http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23578/lot/49/?category=results&length=90&page=1
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Place of origin: New York (New York/United States): TGN: 7007567
Process/materials
Oil on cardboard
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1949: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, purchased from Associated American Artists, Inc., New York [1]
[1] The Dallas Art Association is the predecessor to the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. The name was abandoned in 1970. Works from this collection were transferred to the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
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