Hyman Bloom's Still Life Paintings

Showing paintings from the estate of Hyman Bloom (1913-2009), this 82 page color exhibition catalog examines Bloom’s still life paintings through his use of Amphora Pottery. Made in Austria at the turn of the century, the art pottery is influenced by the Art Nouveau & Symbolist art movements. Hyman Bloom continued his exploration of the harrowing, beautiful and mystical by creating modern vanitas paintings using the pottery.

In 1940, Hyman Bloom was dubbed “the greatest artist in America” by Clement Greenberg, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. In 1942, thirteen of his paintings were chosen to be exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He is influenced by Altdorfer, Grunewald, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, William Blake, Rudolph Bresdin, J.M.W. Turner, John Martin, Chaim Soutine and Denman Ross among many others. Bloom synthesizes Western traditions of art, his experiences in a morgue and Eastern mysticism creating powerful paintings exploring themes of the harrowing and the beautiful. With comparisons to Francis Bacon & Damien Hirst, the recluse Bloom is receiving more appreciation for his contributions to the world of art. This all color book is a must for any art collector.