'American Moderns': Portland Museum of Art's summer show shines spotlight on masterworks on paper

Courtesy of PMA
This 1933 work by John Marin, titled "From the Bridge, N.Y.C.," is an opaque and transparent watercolor and charcoal with collage pieces on ivory paper.

There are many outstanding works in the "American Moderns" exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art, but perhap none more memorable than those by John Marin.

And the artist is amid impressive company, the likes of Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, Georgia O'Keeffe, Salvador Dali, William Glackens, Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, Reginald Marsh, John Singer Sargent and Ben Shahn, to name but a few.

The museum's major summer exhibit, "American Moderns: Masterworks on Paper from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (1910-1960)," features more than 100 works by nationally renowned artists, with an emphasis on drawings and watercolors on paper.

The exhibit, according to the museum, is the first indepth examination and presentation of the Atheneum's American modernist works on paper -- a collection recognized as one of the nation's finest.

The Wadsworth Atheneum, a conservative New England museum founded in 1842 by art patron Daniel Wadsworth, is one of the earliest public art museums in America. Wadsworth showed great courage and foresight collecting the works of American artists who did abstract and modern interpretations at a time when other collectors focused on European artists.

Viewing the works of artists who can suggest an entire image with the skillful drawing of but a single line, or create a sense of place with splashes of color, is an amazing experience. Abstract images in these works are visual stories beckoning exploration.

A perfect example is Marin's "From the Bridge, N.Y.C.," an opaque and transparent watercolor and charcoal with collage pieces on ivory paper, done in 1933. This powerful work suggests the tension of big city life with its jagged edged lines, dark colors and glimpses of apartment buildings in the background.

Another outstanding watercolor by Marin, who had a summer home in Maine, is titled "Green Sea, Cape Split, Maine.” Created in 1941, this work, an opaque and transparent watercolor and graphite drawing on ivory paper, expresses a sense of tranquility and union with nature.

Each work in the exhibit is a gem; however, Marin's pieces, which radiate with a freedom of color and remarkable use of space, are some of the highest quality examples of his work.

An unusual piece that grabs attention is Hopper's watercolor “Custom House, Portland,” created in 1927. Hopper’s choice of perspective -- a side view of the Custom House building, showing a more utilitarian building on the other side -- is a mystery.

Another significant Hopper work is his depiction of the oldest lighthouse in the state titled “Captain Strout’s House Portland Head,” done in 1927. The keeper’s residence adjacent to the lighthouse is now a museum. This work, displayed on the exhibit poster, sets the tone for "American Moderns," which, according to the PMA, offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see in the state paintings by Hopper depicting Maine scenes.

Kent's "Illustration for Moby Dick, chapter CXXXV," black ink on paper, underscores how powerful the medium of drawing can be, with his use of sharp, bold lines to create tension and drama. The work was done circa 1929.

In contrast, two beautiful small works by Charles Demuth, “Eight O’Clock Evening” and “Eight O’Clock Morning” are much more subtle. When creating these pieces, transparent watercolor over graphite, the artist used soft, curved lines to suggest dreamlike images.

O’Keeffe’s “Slightly Opened Clam Shell” is an elegant work of simple lines and understatement. It is hauntingly sensual.

Ellsworth Kelly’s watercolor “Corn 11,” done in 1959, and Yasuo Kuniyoshi’s watercolor “Wild Flowers,” done in 1922, both focus on nature. Even though the works were created during two different decades, both artists took a “less is more” approach and went light on details.

Andrew Wyeth’s dry brush and opaque watercolor, “Granddaughter,” created in 1956 is poignant, powerful, and timeless.

"American Moderns," which is up through Sept. 12, is a definite must-see.

The museum at Seven Congress Square is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students with ID, $4 for youths ages 6-17 and free for children under 6. Admission is free from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Pat Davidson Reef has a master’s degree in education and has taught art history at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland. She has written two children’s books, “Dahlov Ipcar, Artist,” and “Bernard Langlais, Sculptor.”