Description
This print was made as part of an impressive ongoing series of prints of city architecture that Hass has produced since the 1970s. A Catalogue Raisonné by Marilyn S. Kushner, published in 2005, includes 153 prints he created between 1970 and 2004. They are at once works of art in their own right, but also meticulous studies of architectural elements, history, and design. In this particular work, the artist shows his talent in the accurate representation of the architecture and also effectively uses colors in setting off the white stone against the blue sky, with part of the building and the street below shown somewhat in contrasting shadows.
The Brooklyn Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums in the United States. First established in 1823 as an apprentices’ library, a formal plan to build a permanent gallery of fine arts was announced in 1893. The new building was designed by Daniel Chester French from McKim, Mead, & White, an acclaimed firm known for other New York City architectural staples including Madison Square Garden, Columbia University’s main campus, and the old Penn Station. The facade depicted in Haas’s rendering reflects the Beaux Art movement — an architectural style popularized in 19th century Paris that draws upon French neoclassicism, Renaissance, and Baroque elements and incorporates modern materials like iron, glass, and steel. It is consistent with many McKim, Mead, & White buildings extant in New York City. The grand structure of the Brooklyn Museum made its public debut in 1907. Since then, the museum has been expanded several times. Most recently, a glass entry pavilion and Plaza were added in 2004, and thus are not depicted in Haas’s 1991 rendering, making the print a unique, historic depiction of the Brooklyn Museum from that period.
Richard Haas is an American muralist best known for his architectural prints and murals. Architectural critic Paul Goldberger has stated, “Richard Haas is an artist about architecture — he makes people stop and think about architecture and realize that buildings are not just a backdrop; they are also an active presence in our lives.” Haas’s interest in art and architecture is rooted in his adolescent job working as a stonemason’s assistant. He went on to receive his B.S. from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an M.F.A. from University of Minnesota. The artist moved to New York City in 1968 where he established a style of producing accurate prints and murals incorporating the architectural details of historic buildings. His subjects show a wide range of architectural styles including Greek Revival, Beaux Arts, and Art Deco. Hass produced a series of limited edition prints mostly between 1970s through the 1990s that exemplify his fascination with the architectural structure and history of New York City. Today, Haas lives in New York City with his family and continues to depict urban architectural design in new and uniquely stylistic ways.
Condition: Generally very good, the colors bright and fresh, with only light toning overall. Not examined out of frame. Frame very good with light wear.
References:
“Brooklyn Museum.” Wikipedia. 3 May 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Museum (26 April 2024).
“Brooklyn Museum Building: A Brief History of One of the Oldest and Largest Art Museums in the United States” Brooklyn Museum. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/ (26 April 2024).
“Richard Haas (About).” Richard Haas. http://www.richardhaas.com/about (26 April 2024).
“Richard Haas (American, born 1936).” Artnet. https://www.artnet.com/artists/richard-haas/ (26 April 2024).
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