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Abstraction

Abraham Walkowitz

American Art

Abstraction evokes the entangled forms of two figures in an embrace using a Cubist language of faceted geometric shapes and patterned hatchings. Abraham Walkowitz probably took his inspiration from a drawing by Pablo Picasso that was exhibited at Alfred Stieglitz’s progressive 291 gallery in New York. Like many modernists, Walkowitz used the human figure as a vehicle for aesthetic experimentation.
MEDIUM Graphite on medium, cream, moderately textured, laid paper
DATES 1912
DIMENSIONS Sheet: 19 x 12 5/8 in. (48.3 x 32.1 cm)  (show scale)
MARKINGS Round stamp embossed at upper right: "STRATHMORE / PAPER" around thistle
SIGNATURE Signed in ink, lower right: "A. WALKOWITZ 1912"
COLLECTIONS American Art
ACCESSION NUMBER 39.655
CREDIT LINE Gift of the artist
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Abraham Walkowitz (American, born Russia, 1878-1965). Abstraction, 1912. Graphite on medium, cream, moderately textured, laid paper, Sheet: 19 x 12 5/8 in. (48.3 x 32.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the artist, 39.655 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 39.655_IMLS_PS3.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 39.655_IMLS_PS3.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Orphaned work
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