Provenance

Marshall Frankel

American, died 1986

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This painting displays angular shapes and planes that give the abstract impression of two faces. Triangular and trapezoidal forms dominate the composition in shades of yellow, green, and tan, with some hints of rosy pink. Near the center of the painting, there are four eyes: one blue, one yellow, one green, and one red. They don't have irises and are solid color with black pupils. Lines run through the eyes, giving them a fractured appearance. Below the eyes, there are two triangles facing each other that could be the noses of the faces, and below those are thin red mouths. Both people appear to have short black hair and wear dark garments. The background is made of rectangles of teal, green, and gray. The brushstrokes in the painting are visible, with some thick and some thin. In many places, the paint is streaky, revealing some of the white canvas below.
Alfred H. Maurer, Abstract Heads, c. 1931, unidentified media on fabric mounted on panel, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, William A. Clark Fund, 1979), 2014.136.136

Abstract Heads

Alfred H. Maurer · c. 1931 · unidentified media on fabric mounted on panel ·  Accession ID  2014.136.136