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Hilton Kramer

Cuban Tomás Sánchez: In His Epic Paintings, Meticulous Metaphysics

It’s not often that an experienced critic finds himself confronting the work of an “unknown” painter—unknown, that is, to the critic—only to discover that he’s looking at the paintings of a master talent. But this was my experience upon visiting the exhibition of paintings by the Cuban artist Tomás Sánchez (b. 1948) at the Marlborough Read More

Cuban Tomás Sánchez: In His Epic Paintings, Meticulous Metaphysics

It’s not often that an experienced critic finds himself confronting the work of an “unknown” painter—unknown, that is, to the critic—only to discover that he’s looking at the paintings of a master talent. But this was my experience upon visiting the exhibition of paintings by the Cuban artist Tomás Sánchez (b. 1948) at the Marlborough Read More

Cuban Tomás Sánchez: In His Epic Paintings, Meticulous Metaphysics

It’s not often that an experienced critic finds himself confronting the work of an “unknown” painter—unknown, that is, to the critic—only to discover that he’s looking at the paintings of a master talent. But this was my experience upon visiting the exhibition of paintings by the Cuban artist Tomás Sánchez (b. 1948) at the Marlborough Read More

Cuban Tomás Sánchez: In His Epic Paintings, Meticulous Metaphysics

It’s not often that an experienced critic finds himself confronting the work of an “unknown” painter—unknown, that is, to the critic—only to discover that he’s looking at the paintings of a master talent. But this was my experience upon visiting the exhibition of paintings by the Cuban artist Tomás Sánchez (b. 1948) at the Marlborough Read More

Painter Bluemner Defeated By History And Styles of Times

There are artists who, despite their abundant gifts, seem destined to endure a melancholy fate, and one of them was Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938), the subject of a fine exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Bluemner was too “advanced” for the traditionalists at a time when modernism was still a contentious issue, and Read More

Painter Bluemner Defeated By History And Styles of Times

There are artists who, despite their abundant gifts, seem destined to endure a melancholy fate, and one of them was Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938), the subject of a fine exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Bluemner was too “advanced” for the traditionalists at a time when modernism was still a contentious issue, and he Read More

Charles Burchfield: In Macabre Painting, Dark Introspection

The American painter Charles Burchfield (1893-1967), whose work is the subject of a splendid exhibition at the DC Moore Gallery, was one of the most accomplished artists of his generation. He was also one of the most popular. He had the distinction, moreover, of creating a vision of the American landscape that established itself Read More

Charles Burchfield: In Macabre Painting, Dark Introspection

The American painter Charles Burchfield (1893-1967), whose work is the subject of a splendid exhibition at the DC Moore Gallery, was one of the most accomplished artists of his generation. He was also one of the most popular. He had the distinction, moreover, of creating a vision of the American landscape that established itself as Read More

Painter Pousette-Dart, An Enchanting Mystic, Merged Seen, Unseen

The American painter Richard Pousette-Dart (1916-1992), whose very large late paintings are the subject of an enchanting exhibition at Knoedler & Company, was often described in his lifetime as the youngest of the Abstract Expressionist painters of the New York School. He was indeed younger than Pollock, de Kooning and a few other artists in Read More

Painter Pousette-Dart, An Enchanting Mystic, Merged Seen, Unseen

The American painter Richard Pousette-Dart (1916-1992), whose very large late paintings are the subject of an enchanting exhibition at Knoedler & Company, was often described in his lifetime as the youngest of the Abstract Expressionist painters of the New York School. He was indeed younger than Pollock, de Kooning and a few other artists in Read More

Fra Angelico Elicits Astonishing Piety At Met Exhibition

The modern mind doesn’t easily accommodate itself to the idea that the art of painting may sometimes achieve the status of a spiritual vocation. Christian iconography plays a central role in many of the paintings we regard as masterworks of Western art, and yet our response to those paintings tends, for the most part, to Read More