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Literature

New York-based artist Judith Rothschild was a pioneer in the world of American Abstract art, known for her contributions to the Post-War era. She was the daughter of Herbert, an owner of a furniture factory, and Nanette Rothschild. Her early education was at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, which her parents also attended. Growing up in a well-to-do family, she was exposed to art and culture from an early age, which helped foster her interest in the field. Rothschild studied art and was deeply influenced by the European modernist movement and artists Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, and Piet Mondrian.

Her interest in art, writing and music led her to attend Wellesley College, a liberal arts women’s college in Massachusetts.  Upon graduating in 1943, she returned to New York and studied at the Art Student’s League where she met Hans Hoffman, a pioneers of Abstract Expressionism, which gave her the confidence to explore more her artistic ambitions. It was then she experimented with different techniques and two years later landed a solo exhibition at the Jane Street Art Gallery. She was a member of the American Abstract Artists Association.

Rothschild married breifly and moved to California to work before returning to NY in 1970. As Rothschild explored different techniques and styles such as cubism, surrealism, among others.  Rothschild’s works are seen as a bridge between the European modernist movements of the early 20th century and the American abstract movements that followed. She worked alongside some of the most prominent abstract painters of her time and exhibited in galleries across the United States and Europe. Despite this, just as with many femake Ab-Ex aretists, her fame never reached the level of her male colleagues like Mark Rothko or Barnett Newman, partly due to her preference for working quietly and avoiding the limelight.

One of her significant contributions to the art world was her ability to infuse rigid geometrical abstraction with warmth and subtlety. In a movement often associated with colder, intellectual precision, Rothschild managed to strike a delicate balance that made her work resonate emotionally.

Her work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and her paintings are part of permanent collections in several major institutions including the National Gallery, the Metropolitan, The Whitney and Guggenheim. In 1993, the Judith Rothschild Foundation was established to promote and support the understanding and appreciation of modern art, particularly through the preservation of abstract and contemporary works. The foundation has made substantial contributions to the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions, particularly through the donation of important art collections, helping to ensure Rothschild’s place in the history of modern art.

Our example is of gouache, watercolor and ink with collage on blue paper. The work is from Rothschild’s early years during her first New York period and is reminiscent of her earlier influence by Hans Hoffman. While playful with color, the sheet encapsulates significance of form that Rothschild was so dedicated to. One sees elements of a guitar neck, a funnel, keys, the New York City skyline, etc. that Rothschild condenses neatly into the paper, showing these various elements in unison and harmony.