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.
Simultaneously spontaneous and architectural, Dehner's oeuvre resists categorization. While one can find numerous divergent references to modern life or nature, the work resists a single definition. Marked intricate line-work along with fragmented and overlapping geometric forms, the artist creates hypnotic abstract structures.
This impressive work on paper demonstrates Denher's distinct brand of abstraction, marked by fine, precise lines that converge and intercept at various degrees. Elongated arcs disrupt the rigidity of the composition, introducing a sense of fluidity and motion amidst the angular structure.
Diffused swathes of cinnabar, persimmon, and citron illuminate the composition demonstrating Dehner's mastery of watercolor in abstract compositions.
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“Affinities"
USA, 1951
Ink and watercolor on paper
Signed and dated lower left
20.5"H 15.75"W (work)
Framed with museum glass
Very good condition
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