The artwork titled “The Liver is the Cock’s Comb” is a distinguished creation by Arshile Gorky, a celebrated artist of the 20th century. Completed in the year 1944, this oil on canvas piece is recognized as a seminal work within the Abstract Expressionist movement, a genre that emphasizes spontaneous, automatic, or subconscious creation. The artwork’s substantial dimensions measure 73 1/4 by 98 inches (186 x 249 cm), and it is currently housed at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery located in Buffalo, New York, United States.
The artwork presents a complex and vibrant tableau with a rich overlay of colors and shapes that seem to float and intersect with one another across the canvas. The composition is a testament to Gorky’s mature period, where he combined abstracted representational forms with surrealist methods of automatism, resulting in dynamic and sometimes unsettling visuals. The mosaic of forms and colors does not readily resolve into recognizable figures or landscapes, which is characteristic of abstract art that abandons realistic representation.
The palette of the artwork is varied, with predominant warm reds, yellows, and oranges interacting with cooler blues, whites, and earth tones to create both harmony and tension. There are hints of figuration among the abstraction—suggestive of organic shapes and possibly influenced by biomorphic forms found in nature, all contributing to the enigmatic and lyrical quality of the piece. Brushstrokes vary from fluid and sweeping to short and staccato, giving the artwork a rhythmic texture that engages the viewer’s eye.
“The Liver is the Cock’s Comb” with its abstract form and expressive use of color, demonstrates Gorky’s contribution to the movement that would ultimately pave the way for American Abstract Expressionism in the post-World War II era.
