The most definitive and up-to-date book on the vibrant paintings and
pastels by this popular modern master, which now serves as a memorable
tribute to his artistic legacy.
A celebration of the work of the beloved American artist Wolf Kahn
(1927-2020), this volume focuses on the vivid colors of his luscious
landscapes made in oil and in pastel during the last decade of his life.
The last study of Kahn's art to be produced during his lifetime, and
prepared in close collaboration with the artist, this publication now
serves as a memorable tribute to his remarkable talents and legacy.
A refugee from Nazi Germany, Wolf Kahn immigrated to the U.S. in 1940,
and after settling in New York City he studied with the influential
artist and teacher Hans Hofmann. Kahn's radiant hues, tangy color
contrasts, and pervasive sense of light combine realism with the
discipline of color field painting and place him at the forefront of
American representational artists. This richly illustrated book features
a generous selection of paintings and pastels that showcase his bold,
freewheeling style and feature a unique blend of realism and
abstraction.
During the last decade of his long and accomplished career, Kahn traded
in the often-lyrical palette of his earlier landscapes for an
increasingly brash and assertive chromatic vision--evidenced in electric
hues ranging from acid yellow and hazard orange to saturated thalo blue.
His late large-scale oils, depicting his favored subjects of barns and
tree-lined fields and rivers, abound with visual energy. Art historian
Sasha Nicholas puts Kahn in context with other artists and situates his
late work within his broader career. William Agee, who met with Kahn for
several interviews, discusses his process and most recent paintings. An
illustrated chronology, with little-seen personal images, offers
additional insights into the life and career of this renowned modern
master.
