Richard Pousette-Dart
Messengers of Flight

Messengers of Flight

© Estate of Richard Pousette-Dart / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Messengers of Flight
Messengers of Flight
CultureAmerican
Titles
  • Messengers of Flight
Date1990–1991
MediumAcrylic on canvas
Dimensions42 1/2 × 85 in. (108 × 215.9 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Alan and Fannie Hall Leslie
Object number2007.180
Current Location
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
Mfah Members Lounge
On view

Explore Further

Object Type
Description


 




The youngest member of the Abstract Expressionist vanguard that came of age in the 1940s, Richard Pousette-Dart imbued his paintings with a highly personal and transcendental spiritualism. Messengers of Flight is among his final compositions. As each dab of color is built up to create a radiant whole, it eloquently portrays Pousette-Dart’s belief in the ineffable unity between the self and the universe. He stated: “All art is of nature because we are of nature. . . . Art for me is unpredictable spontaneous kaleidoscopes of the imagination.”



ProvenanceThe artist; [ACA Gallery, New York]; Alan and Fannie Hall Leslie, Palm Springs; bequeathed to MFAH, 2007.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Inscribed in black, verso of crossbar of stretcher: "42 1/2 x 85 / RPD 323 / Acrylic / on / Linen / 1990-91 'MESSENGERS OF FLIGHT' "
Signed and dated in black, verso of canvas: "90-91 / Richard Pousette-Dart"
Printed labels on verso stretcher:

"Richard Pousette-Dart / 286 Haverstraw Road / Suffern New York 10901"

"ACA Galleries / 41 East 57th Street, 7th Floor, New York, 10022 (212) 644-8300 / Artist Richard Pousette-Dart Loc.# RPD#323 / Title Messengers of Flight Inv.# POUSRMESSE / ... "

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Hieroglyph #5
Richard Pousette-Dart
1972
Acrylic on canvas
2002.3555
3-Part Variation #7
Joanna Pousette-Dart
2012–2013
Acrylic on canvas mounted on three wood panels
2023.365.A-.C
Fugue #4
Richard Pousette-Dart
1947
Oil on linen
2002.3556
White Garden, Fugue
Richard Pousette-Dart
1951
Oil and graphite on linen
2002.3554
Primordial Moment
Richard Pousette-Dart
1939
Oil on linen
2002.3553
Portrait of Mark Rothko
Richard Pousette-Dart
c. 1949
Gelatin silver print
96.1002
Untitled
Richard Pousette-Dart
c. 1960
Watercolor, ink and graphite on paper board
2003.872
Untitled
Richard Pousette-Dart
c. 1940
Poured ink, pen and ink, gouache, and chalk on paper
97.105
My Captain
Richard Gordon Stout
2000
Acrylic on canvas
2006.1385
Oedipus
Richard Gordon Stout
1973/1984
Acrylic on canvas
85.10
Rose City
Richard Gordon Stout
1977
Acrylic on canvas
2008.245
April, 1998
Richard Gordon Stout
1998
Acrylic on canvas
2007.1575