Arthur Dove’s “Foghorns” is an abstract painting created in 1929. It features a combination of size-graduated shapes and gradations of hue to visually represent the sound of foghorns. Dove’s use of colors is muted and his shapes are amorphous, reflecting his belief that color and form can express the essence of things beyond their physical appearance.
Dove’s art was based on natural forms, and his approach to abstraction was referred to as “extraction.” He aimed to extract the essential forms of a scene from nature. “Foghorns” is a testament to this approach, as the foghorn serves as a metaphor for the human experience, evoking emotions through its sound.
In addition to his paintings, Dove also created sculptures and collages featuring foghorns as a dominant subject matter. One of his most famous works, “The Great Fog Horn” (1927), depicts the foghorn as a looming presence dominating the canvas with its size and strength. Dove’s use of foghorns in his art shows his ability to create powerful and emotive works that reflect his unique vision of the world.
