Untitled Landscape by Alex Katz

By Gabriel Delgado

Painted in 1946, this untitled landscape painted by Alex Katz is a depiction of a European village in a one-point perspective. All the buildings and structures dotted along the main road have guidelines that meet in the center of the composition. Painted when Katz was only 19 years old, this cityscape is very important to reference in this exhibition at Rosenbaum Contemporary. In 1946, Katz was studying art at Cooper Union (1946-1949). His professors include such notable artists like Robert Gwathmey, Paul Zucker and Morris Kantor. 

The influence of the latter, Morris Kantor, is evident in this untitled artwork by Katz. For example, Morris Kantor’s painting, Farewell to Union Square illustrates how Kantor’s influence on Katz was centered on a mentorship and instruction of style, color palette and composition. The elements within Farewell to Union Square can easily be read as reflective properties in Katz’s untitled painting—Kantor’s woebegone city versus Katz’s village. 

Many artistic parallels and seemingly effective professor influences add significant important to this creation that was painted by Katz over 70 years ago.

By Gabriel Delgado