At the Dawn of a New Age: Early Twentieth-Century American Modernism

May 7, 2022–Feb 26, 2023

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Patrick Henry Bruce

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Born 1881 in Campbell County, VA
Died 1936 in New York, NY

In 1904 Patrick Henry Bruce moved to Paris, where he created works such as Painting. Using bold planes of color and crisply demarcated geometric forms, Bruce depicts everyday objects as if he were seeing each one from a different perspective. The painting’s monumental, architectonic forms combine with the vertical bar at the left of the composition to assert the flatness of the canvas—while simultaneously creating the illusion that these objects exist in deep space. This assertive composition reflects the era’s dynamism and confidence in the new. Despite the enthusiastic acclaim his art received from the Parisian avant-garde, financial difficulties during the Depression forced Bruce to return to the United States in 1936.

Painting, c. 1921–22

Abstract painting featuring a collage of geometric shapes in various colors such as blue, pink, purple, and orange, with a prominent white vertical line dividing the composition. Some shapes resemble everyday objects like a cup with a straw.
Abstract painting featuring a collage of geometric shapes in various colors such as blue, pink, purple, and orange, with a prominent white vertical line dividing the composition. Some shapes resemble everyday objects like a cup with a straw.

Patrick Henry Bruce, Painting, c. 1921–1922. Oil on canvas, overall: 35 × 45 3/4 in. (88.9 × 116.2 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; gift of an anonymous donor 54.20

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Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

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