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In the early
1960s, Philip Pearlstein led a revival of figure painting in this
country. After experimenting briefly with landscapes, he
concentrated on the realistic depiction of the nude human figure,
a traditional subject that had almost totally vanished from Modern
art. Pearlstein's treatment of this subject was characterized
from the first by a non-traditional matter-of-factness, to which
he added unusual points of view and radical cropping of figures.
His later works tend to mitigate the extreme austerity of his
images by introducing elaborate furniture, richly patterned
fabrics, and decorative floor patterns, but never forsake his
essentially abstract approach to the human figure. Works such as
Nude on Bamboo illustrate his incorporation of unexpected
postures, placements and perspectives into a complex composition.
Born in
Pittsburgh, Pearlstein enrolled at The Carnegie Institute of
Technology in 1944. His studies were interrupted by three years
in the Army, after which he returned to school and graduated in
1949 with a B.F.A. Pursuing graduate studies in art history at
New York University, he received a master's degree in 1955.
Pearlstein holds awards from the American Academy and the National
Institute of Arts and Letters, and his work is represented in
national museum collections. |
