Jupiter V
Al Held
(American, 1928–2005)
1974
Medium/TechniqueAcrylic on canvas
Dimensions152.4 x 152.4 cm (60 x 60 in.)
Credit LineGift of Barbara W. McCue and Gerald M. McCue
Accession number1998.576
On View
Not on viewClassificationsPaintings
Collections
Working in an Abstract Expressionist style in the 1950s and a Minimalist vein in the 1960s, Al Held went on to develop a hard edge style in the 1970s that rejected the anti-illusionism of Minimalism. In Jupiter 5, Held "draws" with paint, using geometry as a formal tool to create a dizzying illusionistic space seen from various perspectives. The bold and severe lines of the cube are contrasted with the softer, more inventive geometric forms that overlap it. Multiple paint layers have been sanded down to leave a smooth surface devoid of any painterly touch.
ProvenanceThe artist; with André Emmerich, New York; to Vesti Corporation, Boston; to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald M. Mc Cue, Cambridge, MA, 1984; to MFA, Boston, 1998Copyright© Al Held Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
