Arthur Dove – Artwork & Bio of the American Painter

Arthur Dove was an American painter born on 2 August 1880 in Canandaigua, New York. Initially, Dove enrolled at Cornell University to study law but took elective art classes. He would eventually become a graphic illustrator with the support of his father. After a few years, Dove abandoned illustration for painting and exhibited at Alfred Stieglitz’s studio.

Dove’s career featured several periods of experimentation by the artist. He painted in Impressionistic and Fauvistic styles before eventually abandoning detail and forms to paint complete abstractions. He also experimented with collages during the 1920s. From 1930, Dove’s patronage mainly came from Duncan Phillips, and his collection still holds many of Dove’s works.

Dove’s fascination with nature transitioned into his later years, fostered by his habitation on a houseboat. The artist’s creativity became limited after suffering a heart attack in 1939 and a subsequent one shortly after. On 23 November 1946, Dove died in Long Island after suffering from complicated heart conditions and kidney disease.

What was Arthur Dove Known For?

Arthur Dove was known for painting landscapes and seascapes in an abstract form. Dove’s childhood expeditions infused a passion for nature, reflected throughout his career. He often experimented with coloring, paying less attention to detail, shape, and texture. Dove is also renowned for his collage and assemblage work, experimenting with several materials.

Who was Arthur Dove Influenced By?

Arthur Dove was influenced by Wassily Kandinsky, Henri Matisse, and Alfred Maurer. After switching from illustration to painting, Dove traveled to Paris, where he became associated with Maurer and his circle, a group of artists looking to explore colorism in the manner of the Fauves. Subsequently, Dove also studied the works of the expressionist painter Kandinsky.