Ethel Schwabacher
Encyclopedia
Ethel Kremer Schwabacher (b. New York 1903-1984) was a protege of Arshile Gorky
, his first biographer, and herself a well-known abstract expressionist painter. Her daughter is the America
n writer
and translator
, Brenda Webster
.
Schwabacher was born in New York in 1903. Her family moved to Pelham
in 1908 where she began painting in the garden.
She attended Horace Mann School
and at age 15 enrolled at the Art Students League of New York
. She also studied sculpture at the National Academy of Design
until 1921. During 1921, Arnold Genthe
took several photographs of her.
After her apprenticeship in stone carving with the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington
, in 1927 Schwabacher abandoned sculpture and enrolled in Max Weber
's painting class at the Art Students League. That year she met Arshile Gorky
, with whom she developed a life lasting friendship.
She lived in Europe from 1928 to 1934. She and Gorky took independent studies together between 1934 and 1936. Gorky introduced her to automatism
. She was inspired by Gorky's surrealistic-inspired imaginary, biomorphic abstractions and erotic forms. Synchronously, her cousin George Oppen
was in New York City where he became a central member of the Objectivist
group of poets that flourished there in the 1930s. Decades later, Oppen won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize
in Poetry.
In 1934, she married the prominent entertainment lawyer Wolf Schwabacher
.
She began to explore her own sub-conscious, combining automatism with abstract forms, referring to nature. Schwabacher often interconnected themes of womanhood, childbirth and children.
Following the death of her husband, she expressed her personal traumas through the Greek myths. She died on November 25, 1984.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
, the Whitney Museum of American Art
, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
, the Jewish Museum
, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Rockefeller University
in New York City
are homes for some of her work.
Arshile Gorky
Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-born American painter who had a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism. As such, his works were often speculated to have been informed by the suffering and loss he experienced of the Armenian genocide.-Early life:...
, his first biographer, and herself a well-known abstract expressionist painter. Her daughter is the America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, Brenda Webster
Brenda Webster
Brenda Webster is an American writer, critic and translator. She is the author of four novels, including "The Beheading Game".- History :Brenda Webster was born in New York City, the daughter of Ethel Schwabacher. She was educated at Swarthmore College, and Columbia University, and completed...
.
Schwabacher was born in New York in 1903. Her family moved to Pelham
Pelham (town), New York
Pelham is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 12,396. Historically, Pelham was composed of five villages and became known as "the Pelhams"...
in 1908 where she began painting in the garden.
She attended Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City, New York, United States founded in 1887 known for its rigorous course of studies. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from all across the New York tri-state area from...
and at age 15 enrolled at the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
. She also studied sculpture at the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
until 1921. During 1921, Arnold Genthe
Arnold Genthe
Arnold Genthe was a photographer, best known for his photos of San Francisco's Chinatown, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and his portraits of noted persons, from politicians and socialites to literary figures and entertainment celebrities.-Biography:Genthe was born in Berlin, Prussia, to Louise...
took several photographs of her.
After her apprenticeship in stone carving with the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington was an American sculptor.-Life and career:Huntington was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her father, Alpheus Hyatt, was a professor of paleontology and zoology at Harvard University and MIT, and served as a contributing factor to her early interest in animals and...
, in 1927 Schwabacher abandoned sculpture and enrolled in Max Weber
Max Weber (artist)
For the social theorist and philosopher, see Max WeberMax Weber was a Jewish-American painter who worked in the style of cubism before migrating to Jewish themes towards the end of his life.-Biography:...
's painting class at the Art Students League. That year she met Arshile Gorky
Arshile Gorky
Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-born American painter who had a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism. As such, his works were often speculated to have been informed by the suffering and loss he experienced of the Armenian genocide.-Early life:...
, with whom she developed a life lasting friendship.
She lived in Europe from 1928 to 1934. She and Gorky took independent studies together between 1934 and 1936. Gorky introduced her to automatism
Surrealist automatism
Automatism has taken on many forms: the automatic writing and drawing initially practiced by surrealists can be compared to similar, or perhaps parallel phenomena, such as the non-idiomatic improvisation of free jazz....
. She was inspired by Gorky's surrealistic-inspired imaginary, biomorphic abstractions and erotic forms. Synchronously, her cousin George Oppen
George Oppen
George Oppen was an American poet, best known as one of the members of the Objectivist group of poets. He abandoned poetry in the 1930s for political activism, and later moved to Mexico to avoid the attentions of the House Un-American Activities Committee...
was in New York City where he became a central member of the Objectivist
Objectivist poets
The Objectivist poets were a loose-knit group of second-generation Modernists who emerged in the 1930s. They were mainly American and were influenced by, amongst others, Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams...
group of poets that flourished there in the 1930s. Decades later, Oppen won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
in Poetry.
In 1934, she married the prominent entertainment lawyer Wolf Schwabacher
Wolf Schwabacher
Wolf Schwabacher was a prominent Jewish entertainment lawyer, a partner in the New York law firm of Hays, Wolf, Schwabacher, Sklar & Epstein, whose clients included the Marx Brothers, Lillian Hellman, and Erskine Caldwell....
.
She began to explore her own sub-conscious, combining automatism with abstract forms, referring to nature. Schwabacher often interconnected themes of womanhood, childbirth and children.
Following the death of her husband, she expressed her personal traumas through the Greek myths. She died on November 25, 1984.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
, the Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is a well-known museum located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States. It is the permanent home to a renowned collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art and also features special exhibitions...
, the Jewish Museum
Jewish Museum
Jewish Museum may refer to:Australia* Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne, VictoriaAustria* Jewish Museum ViennaCzech Republic* Jewish Museum of PragueDenmark* Danish Jewish Museum, CopenhagenGeorgia...
, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
are homes for some of her work.