Charles Demuth

Happy Birthday Charles Demuth!! The American painter, born in 1883, lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania his whole life. He worked in watercolor and oils in the Precisionist style. He studied in Paris where he met Marsden Hartley, leading to a tight group of friends including Hartley, Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keefe, Arthur Dove, John Marin, Gertrude Stein, among others. He exhibited at Stieglitz’ gallery in New York City and upon his untimely death at age 51, left many of his paintings to O’Keefe. She was responsible for strategically placing them in various galleries, ultimately establishing Demuth as one of America’s most prominent artists.

Precisionism-American art movement during the 1920-30’s based on combining Cubism and Realism. Artists were concerned with industry and modernization of the landscape and created paintings in crisp, precise geometric shapes. Prominent figures of the movement include Demuth, O’Keefe, and Charles Sheeler.