Renaissance Space II
Artist
Howard Mehring
(American, 1931 - 1978)
CultureAmerican
Date1967
MediumAcrylic on canvas
DimensionsOverall: 86 3/4 x 73 1/2 in. (220.3 x 186.7 cm)
Overall, Frame: 5/8 in. (1.6 cm)
Overall, Frame: 5/8 in. (1.6 cm)
Credit LineGift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Schoenfield
Object number76.59
On View
Chrysler Museum of Art, Gallery 224
Label TextHoward Mehring American, 1931–1978 Renaissance Space II, 1967 Acrylic on canvas I wanted the picture to open out, to extend beyond the edges of the canvas…into infinite space. –Howard Mehring The lines in Howard Mehring’s painting dart off the sides of the canvas, pointing to the imagined space beyond the edges. The youngest of the group known as the Washington Color School painters, Mehring studied the visual effects of vibrant colors in hard-edged geometric shapes. Unlike his peers, he applied paint thickly, drawing attention to the dynamic play of colors and forms. In 1967, he abandoned symmetrical designs, enhancing the sense of exuberant movement in his works. Although the shapes of Renaissance Space II are abstract, the jewel tones are inspired by the classical Italian paintings the artist saw while visiting Italy in 1961. Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Schoenfield 76.59 Exhibition History"New Accessions," December 1975, The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA. "Three Hundred Years of American Art in the Chrysler Museum," Chrysler Museum at Norfolk, Va., March 1 - July 4, 1976. "Howard Mehring: A Retrospective Exhibition," The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., December 10, 1977 - January 22, 1978. "Washington Color, The First Generation Painters: Gene Davis, Thomas Downing, Morris Louis, Howard Mehring, Kenneth Noland," Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, FL, December 16, 1990 - February 10, 1991. Published ReferencesDennis R. Anderson, _Three Hundred Years of American Art in the Chrysler Museum_, exh. cat., Norfolk, Va., 1975, 249. Jane Livingston and Mary Swift, _Howard Mehring: A Retrospective Exhibition_, exh. cat., Corcoran Gallery, Washington, DC, 1977, 56, 63, no. 46. Sue Scott, _Washington Color, The First Generation Painters: Gene Davis, Thomas Downing, Morris Louis, Howard Mehring, Kenneth Noland_, exh. cat., Orlando Museum of Art, Fl., 1990, 26, 59.
