Hans Hofmann (1880-1966) was a pre-eminent figure of postwar American art and one of the most important artists (and instructors) of the 20th century. Born in Germany, Hofmann immigrated to New York in 1932, bringing with him years of experience and influence from the European avant-garde.

With a career spanning nearly six decades, Hofmann's legacy is marked by extensive exploration, often synthesizing elements from various movements as he reimagined the abstract possibilities of color, form, and space.

In addition to his prolific oeuvre, Hofmann was a Modern art teacher credited for his profound influence on the next generation of artists. Over the course of his illustrious teaching career, Hofmann was a mentor to Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, and Louise Nevelson, to name a few.

Hofmann's achievements also include major contributions to art theory, earning respect and acclaim from renowned critics such as Clement Greenberg. Notably his revolutionary idea of "push and pull" which promotes the use of contrasting color and form to create relational perspective on a two-dimensional plane. 

Although Hofmann was an important practitioner and instructor of abstraction, his work remained tethered, at least conceptually, to the representation or allusion of nature. A seemingly abstract composition could be filled with elements of motion and movement; which are essential ingredients of nature.  

In this dynamic and exemplary work on paper landscape was likely an inspiration, albeit realized in an aesthetic that recalls the Fauves or Robert and Sonia Delaunay. Created in the early 1940's, arguably one of the most exciting periods of the artist career, this work is a paradigm of Hofmann's version of the world around him. . 

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Today, Hofmann's work can be found in many major public collections across the United States and beyond, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus (Munich).

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"Untitled"

USA, 1942

Crayon on paper

Initialed and dated by artist, bottom right.

Estate stamped and their inventory number C-91

14"H 17"W (work)

22.25"H 25.25"W (framed)

Very good condition.

Provenance: Andre Emmerich Gallery, New York City

Marianne Friedland Gallery, Toronto

Private Collection, Canada