ADOLPH GOTTLIEB (1903-1974)

Adolph Gottlieb was a scion of the Abstract Expressionist movement in America. He drew on influences from Surrealism—such as biomorphism, automatic drawing, and the subconscious—as well as Primitivism and mythological symobolism to create his “Pictograph” series. His later paintings often focused on a “Burst” image that he spent many years refining. It involved smooth disc shapes above disordered and winding brushstrokes. The unchanging nature of the imagery allowed him to explore his capacity as a colorist, and these works became integral in the development of Color Field painting. He died on March 4, 1974 and, per his wishes, the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation was established in 1976, providing grants to visual artists.