Oscar Bluemner Online Exhibition

Although Oscar Bluemner was best known for his boldly colored landscape paintings on paper, his drawings played an integral role in his artistic process. He would begin with sketches made in the field quickly, but not thoughtlessly. Upon close inspection, one can see notations about color scattered over many of his sketches. These notes would ultimately guide his color choices for the finished gouaches and watercolors. Bluemner always chose to draw, and subsequently paint, his local environment, as he believed that he could best understand and amplify color if it came from the familiar. That is why the titles of his drawings come from New York City, its New Jersey suburbs, or his native Germany. Despite being preliminary and functional, Bluemner’s drawings possess a polish and allure that elevates them to the heights of a finished work of art. Perhaps it is because of his background in architectural drawing or his mastery of composition, but it seems that glimpses into the artist’s mind turn out to be as compelling as his final creations.