Rosenberg & Co. is pleased to present José de Creeft: Paintings (1930–1950), the artist’s first exhibition with the gallery. José de Creeft was a prominent sculptor and renowned teacher of modernist art. As a consummate sculptor, De Creeft painted only sporadically throughout his life. Therefore, the six works that comprise the exhibition are an exceedingly rare assemblage, which represents a substantial portion of the artist’s work on canvas. We are delighted to exhibit this rare and insightful look into the personal, abstracted painting style of a pivotal sculptor and masterful artist.
Born in 1884, de Creeft began his artistic training in Madrid as a draftsman, but by 1905, he had moved to Paris to study at Académie Julian. While in Paris, de Creeft rented a studio in Montmartre, where he forged friendships with Juan Gris and Pablo Picasso and exhibited in important avant-garde spaces such as the Salon des Artistes Indépendents in 1926.
In 1915, de Creeft embraced “direct carving,” which emphasizes carving directly into raw materials rather than relying on preparatory models. Alongside the technique, de Creeft rejected industrial production and instead championed a return to traditional craftsmanship and the expressive possibilities of raw materials. This reverence for material became omnipresent throughout his career, defining his paintings and his sculptural work.
In 1926, de Creeft immigrated to New York City. His arrival marked the beginning of his influence on American sculpture, particularly through his popularization of direct carving in the United States. Throughout the following decades in the United States, de Creeft was awarded a number of accolades and public commissions but is perhaps best known for his colossal Alice and Wonderland sculpture in Central Park. Having spent decades teaching at celebrated schools throughout the United States—namely the Art Students League of New York, The New School, and Black Mountain College—De Creeft left a marked influence on Modern American sculpture, particularly through the dissemination of his “direct carving” technique.
Alongside this exhibition of paintings by José de Creeft, Rosenberg & Co. will be presenting a selection of works on paper by artists who are best known for their sculptures. The exhibition includes work by renowned artists such as Henry Moore, Alexander Archipenko, and Lynn Chadwick.