Alex Katz (American, born 1927). <em>Ann</em>, 1956. Oil on masonite, 36 x 24in. (91.4 x 61cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the artist, 1991.42. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1991.42_transpc002.jpg)

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Alex Katz (American, born 1927). Ann, 1956. Oil on masonite, 36 x 24in. (91.4 x 61cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the artist, 1991.42. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1991.42_transpc002.jpg)

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This is great! Can you tell me about the artist?

What a great work by Alex Katz! In the heyday of Abstract Expressionism, he went against prevailing trends by painting portraits of close friends, fellow artists, poets, and writers.

In this work, I love the way the red chair seat shoots forward, making the subject recede both optically and psychologically!

Is this an unfinished painting?

It is actually very likely a finished work. The simplicity is common in his paintings from this period. At this time in his career, Katz was very interested in printmaking. He made a lot of simplified lithographs with flat fields of colors, similar to this painting.

In a way he was transferring an aesthetic from one medium to another!

Interesting, was this piece given to the woman afterwards?

I don't believe so. We acquired the work from Katz in 1991.

How did Alex Katz choose who to paint? Did he hire models?

Katz painted this portrait of one of his friends, Ann. Katz favors his friends and family as subjects, rather than models!

Cool that answered my question! Thank you!

You're welcome! He was especially interested in painting portraits of this type in the 1950's, and later moved on to zooming in on and otherwise compositionally experimenting with his subjects, as well as working in printmaking. However, his desire to depict friends remained.

Were Alex Katz and Alice Neel married?

Katz and Neel were not married. Alex Katz married his wife and muse Ada relatively early in his career, on February 1, 1958. Neel married painter Carlos Enríquez on June 1 of 1925.

Can you tell me more?

"Ann", by Alex Katz, is from fairly early in the artist's career. Still, it includes many of the most distinct features of his artwork, including flat and simplified fields of color and a portrait of someone who is likely a friend. During this period of time, Katz was very interested in lithographs. Lithography, a type of printmaking, encouraged him to create flat fields of color like this!

Is the artist Alex Katz still alive?

Yes he is.

Do you know who Ann might be?

Not quite! However, given Katz's practice of painting close friends we can assume it's someone he knew well. Katz has several portraits of Ann including multiple studies of Ann Waldman, the American poet. They could be the same person, but we're not fully sure!

Ann

Alex Katz

Contemporary Art

On View: American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, Witness

ARTIST Alex Katz, American, born 1927

MEDIUM Oil on masonite

DATES 1956

DIMENSIONS 36 x 24in. (91.4 x 61cm) frame: 39 3/4 × 27 1/2 × 2 1/2 in. (101 × 69.9 × 6.4 cm) (show scale)

SIGNATURE Unsigned

COLLECTIONS Contemporary Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 1991.42

CREDIT LINE Gift of the artist

PROVENANCE April 18, 1991, gift of the artist to the Brooklyn Museum.

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EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, Witness

CAPTION Alex Katz (American, born 1927). Ann, 1956. Oil on masonite, 36 x 24in. (91.4 x 61cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the artist, 1991.42. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1991.42_transpc002.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 1991.42_transpc002.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT © artist or artist's estate

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