Dorothy Dehner (1901–1994) was an influential American multidisciplinary artist who worked with drawing, painting, printmaking, and most notably sculpture.
Despite her artistic contributions, Dehner's legacy was overshadowed for many years by her ex-husband, the acclaimed sculptor David Smith. Stifled by their tumultuous relationship, Dehner only fully committed to her practice after divorcing in 1951. This break was highly fruitful for her output and her reputation in the years following.
After the divorce, Dehner refined her artistic voice and expanded her practice to include printmaking and sculpture. Her new-found independence and renewed ambition led to a pivotal relationship with the esteemed printmaking studio Atelier 17. Working there she formed a close and enduring friendship with Louise Nevelson.
Today Dehner has been re-embraced and repositioned in the American art canon. Her work is best understood and appreciated in the context of not only David Smith, but other artists dedicated to sculpture including Lee Bontecou, Ruth Asawa and of course Louise Nevelson.
Simultaneously spontaneous and architectural, Dehner's oeuvre resists categorization. Marked intricate linework and structural geometric forms, the artist blends organic abstraction with an innate sense of rhythm and balance.
This impressive work on paper demonstrates Denher's distinct brand of abstraction, marked by fine, precise lines that converge and intercept at various degrees. In this piece, the artist employs a striking use of negative space, accentuating the strength and clarity of the geometric forms as they unfold across the page, a true testament to Dehner's mastery of spatial tension. Meanwhile, diffused swathes of blush pink and sky blue punctuate the composition, a hallmark palette for the artist during this era.
Dehner's use of softer, almost "feminine" colors is worth highlighting. Many women artists in the post-war period avoided palettes that could be interpreted as delicate or girly. Compare Elaine de Kooning's use of color to her husband's or consider Nevelson's all-black universe...Dehner's willingness and courage to use pinks as pastels is a testament to her courage, conviction and artistic vision.
USA, 1951
Ink and watercolor on paper
Signed and dated lower left
18.25"H 22.75"W (work)
22.5"H 26.25"W (framed)
Very good condition
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