Charles Demuth

A larger-than-life figure who is remembered nearly as often for his wit as he is for his paintings, the bold and insatiably curious Charles Demuth wasn’t just a product of America’s transformative early twentieth century; he was one of its archetypes. Demuth was a principal member of the Precisionist movement that emphasized sharp lines and clear geometric shapes and his style would go on to influence the design of movie and theater posters, book dust jackets, and other visual media for decades to come. What’s more, his cheeky and evocative (and private) paintings of early twentieth century American gay subculture are among its few surviving visual records. Challenging the boundaries of race, class, sexuality, and artistic tradition, he digested the shifting social landscape around him and left behind a memorable body of work that defies categorization. (The Art Story)