Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kainen

Kainen, Ruth
Kainen, Ruth Cole
Private Collection, Washington, DC #3 (CD)

he: 1909 - 2001, she: 1922 - 2009

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In saturated, vivid tones of mint green, marigold orange, dandelion yellow, sky blue, and rose pink, a long building stretches away from us along a walkway. The narrow end of the building facing us to the right is orange, and the long side is frosty green. The roof is painted garnet red, and the windows are created with slashes of midnight blue and dark red outlined with topaz blue. A wall enclosing the structure is lemon-lime yellow, and a fence in front of that is painted ultramarine blue. The walkway beneath the fence is pink and, to the left of that, pale blue. Two trees painted with twisting lines of ruby red, shamrock green, black, and off white edge into the scene along the left side, and the sky is lapis blue around a mint-green halo that surrounds the building’s roofline and walls. The scene is loosely painted with visible brushstrokes throughout.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Dance Hall Bellevue [obverse], 1909/1910, oil on canvas, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, Gift in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1989.60.1.a

Dance Hall Bellevue [obverse]

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1909/1910 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1989.60.1.a

A man and woman with pale, pink-colored skin hold hands and dance in this stylized, abstracted vertical painting. The woman’s breasts are exposed, and a single teal-green cloth edged in sapphire blue appears to encase both of their torsos. The man is behind the woman just to our left, and he looks down at her. Her shoulders face us, but she looks back at him, both in profile. Their faces are each painted with one or two strokes each for eyebrows, eyes, lips, and, for the man, a nose. Their hands are lifted and joined, blending into single forms, and the woman takes a wide step to our left. Their bodies are outlined with maroon red, black, or slate blue. The background is ice blue interspersed with angular, tent-like forms painted in royal blue, pale blue, and maroon. The frame is shown and reveals that the painting was done on the back of a stretched canvas. A label affixed to the top rail reads “Nachl. E.L. Kirchner TA/BH 19.”
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Dancing Couple in the Snow [reverse], 1928-1929, oil on canvas, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, Gift in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1989.60.1.b

Dancing Couple in the Snow [reverse]

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1928-1929 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1989.60.1.b

The image features swirling lines and dynamic shapes, both curved and angular, creating a sense of movement. The abstract artwork depicts spirals and circular forms clustered together in the upper left. Vibrant colors, including shades of red, yellow, and blue, merge with patterns suggesting petals or wings. Dark, curved outlines sweep across the surface, connecting the composition.
Stanley William Hayter, Unstable Woman, 1946-1947, color engraving and softground etching on laid paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1994.87.5

Unstable Woman

Stanley William Hayter · 1946-1947 · color engraving and softground etching on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1994.87.5

The image displays fluid, winding lines and dynamic shapes creating an abstract scene with overlapping figures and unusual perspectives. There is a central figure bending backward, possibly a performer. To the side, there is a person with exaggerated facial features talking to another individual in formal attire. In the upper left corner, a figure appears to be aiming a gun. The composition presents a chaotic ensemble resembling a lively crowd scene.
Warrington Colescott, Lincoln at Ford's Theater, 1973, pen and black ink on wove paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1987.47.3

Lincoln at Ford's Theater

Warrington Colescott · 1973 · pen and black ink on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.47.3

The image shows a building, possibly a church, on the left side with a pointed roof against a light sky. The horizon line is high, giving more space to the sky with sparse clouds. There are figures walking on a dirt path leading to the building. The color palette is muted with shades of beige and black dominating. Brush strokes create a textured effect, giving a rustic and serene quality to the landscape.
Félix-Hilaire Buhot, L'Église de Jobourg, 1887, soft-ground etching and aquatint on laid paper, Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen, 2012.92.11

L'Église de Jobourg

Félix-Hilaire Buhot · 1887 · soft-ground etching and aquatint on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2012.92.11

The image features bold, sweeping lines and shapes on a textured surface, creating an abstract composition. Linear forms suggest arches resembling a bridge over a rectangular shape. Below this, two upright figures are seen. Irregular lines converge and stretch across the top, resembling stylized symbols or structural forms. The arrangement of lines and shapes constructs an abstract scene with a bridge and vessels.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Bridge on Crown Prince Embankment (Brucke am Kronprinzenufer), 1909, drypoint with tonal etching on blotting paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1985.77.3

Bridge on Crown Prince Embankment (Brucke am Kronprinzenufer)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1909 · drypoint with tonal etching on blotting paper ·  Accession ID  1985.77.3

Jacob Kainen, Broken Arc, 1994-1997, oil on canvas, New Century Fund, 1998.24.1

Broken Arc

Jacob Kainen · 1994-1997 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1998.24.1

The image depicts a landscape with a high horizon, bold swirling clouds, a steep mountain on the left, and a monochromatic color palette of black on a light background. Closest to the viewer is a small structure and a solitary figure on the right, with other mountain peaks visible in the distance.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Mountains with a Mountain Hut, 1921, woodcut touched with black ink on wove paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, Gift in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.156.5

Mountains with a Mountain Hut

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1921 · woodcut touched with black ink on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1991.156.5

The image shows a street scene with a slightly elevated point of view looking down a thoroughfare to the left. The horizon line is near the center of the drawing, aligning with the rooftops of the buildings. Carriages are parked along the street, receding toward the vanishing point on the left side. Smoke rises from chimneys, contributing to the urban atmosphere. The style features fine linework creating a textured scene, resembling a sketch or etching. The color palette is monochrome with shades of gray for depth and contrast, and wet streets reflect the surroundings. Figures walk with umbrellas while carriages line the street, suggesting rain. Farther away, more carriages follow the curve of the street, disappearing behind buildings.
Félix-Hilaire Buhot, Une Matinée d'Hiver au Quai de l'Hôtel-Dieu (Winter Morning on the Quai de l'Hôtel-Dieu), 1876, etching, aquatint, drypoint, stop-out and roulette on japan paper, Gift of Jacob Kainen, 2002.98.418

Une Matinée d'Hiver au Quai de l'Hôtel-Dieu (Winter Morning on the Quai de l'Hôtel-Dieu)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot · 1876 · etching, aquatint, drypoint, stop-out and roulette on japan paper ·  Accession ID  2002.98.418

The image depicts two adults and a child in an abstract style. The adult to the left is standing, wearing a long garment with a vertical pattern and a necklace. The other adult, seated to the right, holds the child in their arms; both wear long, flowing attire. The facial features of the figures are not detailed, and the hair is indicated by simple lines and shapes. The figures are surrounded by an arched structure, and a large sun or halo pattern radiates behind them. The background includes abstract architectural elements against a contrasting orange and dark color palette.
James Lesesne Wells, Watusi Family, 1988, color woodcut on laid paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1994.87.10

Watusi Family

James Lesesne Wells · 1988 · color woodcut on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1994.87.10