Albers, Josef: 1888-1976 (Germany)

The Artist:

Josef Albers was born in Bottrop Westphalia, Germany in 1888. He became an American citizen in 1939. He died in USA in 1976. Albers' initial training and exposure to art was by the side of his carpenter father. This discipline is reflected in the impeccable craftsmanship of his art. Josef Albers was an instructor of the Bauhaus in Weimar in the 1920's. This Bauhaus master believed that the notion of abstraction provided a rare chance to achieve balance and clarity in life. In 1933 when the Nazia forced the Bauhaus closed, Albers went to Black Mountain College in North Carolina, where he began to transform the teaching of Art in America. He lectured and taught courses in Mexico, Cuba, Chile, Peru, and many American universities.

The intense colors in Albers' art evokes mystery. Color is pure, and is said to be paint out of a tube. Historians and art scholars describe 'Albers Reds', as a depiction of blood and a representation of passion. In addition to painting, Albers is known for his murals including those at: Harvard University in Boston; Corning Glass in NYC; Time and Life Building in NYC; and the Pan-American Building in NYC. His 1959 painting series, Homage to the Square-In and Out is recognized in the art world as a classic non objective abstract painting. An internationally recognized modernist, Albers art is collected in most majoy museums. In the summer of 2002 the Centre Pompidou, gave Josef Albers his first French retrospective. The exhibit included more than 80 works, including seventeen red Homages to the Square.

The Art:

The director of the Albers Foundation, Nicholas Fox Weber, in describing the summer 2002 Centre Pompidou Albers retrospective, referred to Albers' art as "a retreat to a visual serenity of stream-lined forms and pure colors..." It is with this art that this great artist revolutionized how we see. Directed toward expressing order and lucidy, the two images presented below exemplify Albers' finest work. Homage to the Green Square: Mars au Avril. Poster, Serigraph and Homage to the Red Square: Mars au Avril both from 1968, are woderrful examples of Albers' finest work. The green square image with its red partner image were part of Albers' Denise Renee New York gallery one person show, of that same year.

Albers276 Josef Albers, Homage to the Red Square: Mars au Avril. Poster, Serigraph. Image and Paper size is 36" x 26". The poster is from the collection of rare and original serigraphs from the renowned New York Denise Renee Gallery. The green square image with its partner image, represented in the poster shown below, Homage to the Green Square: Mars au Avril of the same year, are the best examples of Albers. These posters were shown in his 1968 as part of the New York gallery one person show. The rag paper on which the poster is created is heavy. The texture of the ink is clean and velvet like. The color is vibrant. This work is in pristine condition. Close-Up Note: A limited variation of the reds in this image appear on your screen. The actual artwork is made up of 4 variations of red. Sold $1,500.

Albers277 Josef Albers, Homage to the Green Square: Mars au Avril. Poster, Serigraph. Image and Paper size is 36" x 26". The poster is from the collection of rare and original serigraphs from the renowned New York Denise Renee Gallery. The green square image with its partner image, represented in the poster shown below, Homage to the Red Square: Mars au Avril of the same year, are the best examples of Albers. These posters were shown in his 1968 as part of the New York gallery one person show. The work is in mint condition. The rag paper on which the poster is created is heavy. The texture of the ink is clean and velvet like. The color is vibrant. This work is in pristine condition. Close-Up $1,500.