On January 27, 1975, visitors attended the exhibition opening of Arthur Dove, the first major retrospective of one of the great pioneers of abstract paintings in the United States, and a native of Upstate New York. Organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the exhibition featured oil paintings, collages, and wax emulsion paintings.
Dove developed a pictorial language in which simplified, semi-abstract forms and earthen colors express the essence of the pastoral American landscape. His Fields of Grain as Seen from Train, 1931, acquired by the Albright-Knox in 1958, was on view in the exhibition, as seen in one of the photos below.
Early in his career, Dove supported himself by farming, and Fields of Grain as Seen from Train celebrates the redeeming power of fertile lands. He felt that the most important characteristic of nature was its integrity, so his paintings have generalized elements and few colors.
Installation view of Arthur Dove at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (January 28–March 2, 1975). Image courtesy of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery Digital Assets Collection and Archives.
Installation view of Arthur Dove at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (January 28–March 2, 1975), featuring Dove's Fields of Grain as Seen from Train, 1931 (right), from the Albright-Knox's collection. Image courtesy of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery Digital Assets Collection and Archives.
Installation view of Arthur Dove at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (January 28–March 2, 1975). Image courtesy of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery Digital Assets Collection and Archives.
