Artist
Richard Pousette-Dart (American, 1916–1992)American, 1916–1992
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
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Department
Modern and Contemporary ArtObject Type
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 / ... "
"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.
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Joanna Pousette-Dart
2012–2013
Acrylic on canvas mounted on three wood panels
2023.365.A-.C