Adolphe Menjou

Adolph Gottlieb's "Adolphe Menjou" from 1931 offers a fascinating glimpse into the early career of an artist who would become a pivotal figure in Abstract Expressionism. Created during a period when Gottlieb was still exploring an expressionist-realist style, this gelatin silver print predates his iconic 'Pictographs' and 'Bursts' for which he is best known. In the 1920s and early 1930s, Gottlieb was forming lifelong friendships with other artists like Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko, and his work, while not yet abstract, already showed an interest in strong compositions and evocative imagery. This portrait, likely of the dapper film actor Adolphe Menjou, captures a moment before Gottlieb's radical shift in approach, which would occur after his time in the Arizona desert in the late 1930s. It stands as a testament to the diverse artistic journey of a New York-born artist who, even in his early years, was deeply engaged with the visual world around him, laying the groundwork for the profound abstract explorations that would define his later career.