charles demuth AMERICAN MODERNIST

Image: Charles Demuth, Self Portrait, 1907. Collection of the Demuth Museum, Lancaster, PA

Demuth’s Architecture: The Industrial Revolution and Precisionism

The “Art In A Box” Program Has Been Provided By:

The Demuth Museum 120 East King Street Lancaster, PA 17602 717.299.9940 www.demuth.org

Charles Demuth was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1883. Though he traveled extensively throughout his life, he always returned to Lancaster to live with his mother and to recover from the effects of Diabetes. Charles Demuth Self Portrait, 1907. Collection of the Demuth Museum, Lancaster, PA

Demuth would paint many of the buildings he could see from his bedroom window or visit within a two-block radius because though he sketched and painted during his travels, Lancaster was his greatest inspiration. In the Province, 1920-21 Gouache and pencil on paper, 23 1/8” x 19 3/16” Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

During Demuth’s time, America was undergoing major changes due to industrialization. Because of what is now called the Industrial Revolution, urban centers were exploding with mechanical innovations and industrial growth. Demuth was inspired by Lancaster’s new machine aesthetic and pictured buildings in flat, geometric versions of themselves with a similar geometric treatment of light and shadow.

End of the Parade, Coatesville, Pa., 1920 Tempera and pencil on board, 19 7/8 x 15 3/4” The Regis Collection, Minneapolis

Demuth’s style is now called Precisionism, and was greatly influenced by the cubist movement that was happening in Europe, but reinvented in a uniquely American way. Buildings Abstraction, Lancaster, 1931 Oil on panel, 27 7/8 x 28 5/8 The Detroit Institute of Arts

Eshelman Feed Building, n.d. Lancaster, Pennsylvania Referenced in Buildings, Lancaster, 1930

Though Charles Demuth used pieces from many different buildings in his compositions, he favored the Eshelman Feed buildings as inspiration for two of his most well-known works…

The first of which is this work, Buildings, Lancaster, which was created in 1930.

Buildings, Lancaster, 1930 Oil on board, 24” x 20” Whitney Museum of American Art

Demuth used many of the elements of the Eshelman Feed buildings in his works, but altered their surroundings and architectural elements.

Eshelman Grain Towers, n.d. Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The Eshelman Feed building had grain towers on its properties that acted as inspiration for one of Demuth’s most famous works…

My Egypt, which was created in 1927. This work is one of Demuth’s most famous works and is understood to be a psychological self-portrait of the artist. My Egypt, 1927 Oil on board, 35 3/4” x 30” Whitney Museum of American Art

Again, Demuth used many of the elements that existed on the property, but altered them for his own composition.

Courthouse Dome, n.d. Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Demuth was also inspired by the Lancaster County Courthouse Dome, which can be seen in the next work…

Welcome to Our City, which was created in 1921. In this work, Demuth used the dome as reference, but also included rooftops from other locations. Though the Eshelman Feed Building has been torn down, you can still visit the Lancaster County Courthouse.

Welcome to Our City, 1921 Oil on canvas, 25 1/8” x 20 1/8” Terra Museum of American Art

Here you can see which elements were taken from the courthouse and which elements were taken from other locations.

Demuth was also inspired by the Lorillard Building, which functioned as a tobacco mill during his time. Lorillard Building, n.d. Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The Lorillard Building was inspiration for Lancaster, created in 1920.

Lancaster, 1920 Tempera, gouache and pencil on paper, 23 11/16” x 19 7/8” Philadelphia Museum of Art

Here, again you can see how Demuth used his selective eye to choose the elements of the building he wanted to include in his composition. The Lorillard Building is also still standing today.

Other Demuth architectural works include…

From the Garden of the Chateau, 1921-25 Oil on canvas, 25” x 20” DeYoung Museum, San Francisco

Business, 1921 Oil on canvas, 20” x 24” The Art Institute of Chicago

Charles Demuth died in 1935 due to complications associated with his diabetes, however the Demuth Museum has restored his home and studio, which is now available to visitors yearround. Incense of a New Church, 1921 Oil on canvas, 26” x 20 1/8” Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio

At the Demuth Museum, over 30 of Demuth’s original artworks can be seen in person during different times of the year, and we encourage you, as participants in the Art-In-ABox program to visit Charlie’s home, and see the views from his bedroom window first-hand, to better understand the life of Charles Demuth, Lancaster’s most famous artist. And the Home of the Brave, 1931 Oil on board, 30” x 24” The Art Institute of Chicago

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PROGRAM FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER “ART IN A BOX” PROGRAMS, PLEASE CONTACT:

The Demuth Museum 120 East King Street Lancaster, PA 17602 717.299.9940 www.demuth.org