The Figurative Fifties: New York Figurative Expressionism

NY: Rizzoli, 1988. Hardcover. VG+/VG+. Green cloth with color glossy dustjacket. 195 pp. 38 bw, 65 color plates. This is the first publication to focus on a generation of artists who, during the height of Abstract Expressionism, turned their attention to painting the figure. Major essays by Klaus Kertess, Carter Ratcliff, Paul Schimmel, and Judith Stein, plus brief essays on the thirteen artists--Beauchamp, E. de Kooning, W. de Kooning, Goodnough, Hartigan, Johnson, Katz, McNeil, Muller, Pollock, Porter, Rivers, and Thompson. Includes exhibition history (1950-1965) and bibliography for each artist and exhibition catalogue of 81 works. Contents as follows: Foreword / Kevin E. Consey -- The other tradition / Klaus Kertess -- Selfhood paints a self-portrait : fifties figuration in New York and elsewhere / Carter Ratcliff -- Figuring out the fifties : aspects of figuration and abstraction in New York, 1950-1964 / Judith E. Stein -- The women / Paul Schimmel -- Robert Beauchamp / April Kingsley -- Elaine de Kooning / B.H. Friedman -- Willem de Kooning / Klaus Kertess -- Robert Goodnough / Kenworth Moffett -- Grace Hartigan / Robert Mattison -- Lester Johnson / Judith E. Stein -- Alex Katz / Irving Sandler -- George McNeil / Judith Higgins -- Jan Müller / Jeffrey Hoffeld -- Jackson Pollock / Elizabeth Langhorne -- Fairfield Porter / Brian O'Doherty -- Larry Rivers / Helen A. Harrison -- Bob Thompson / Judith Wilson. Published to accompany the exhibition held in Newport Beach, CA: Newport Harbor Art Museum, July 19 to Sept. 18, 1988, two other locations. (Inventory #: 7963)