Fairfield Porter’s painting, Wheat, was created in 1960 with oil on canvas. The landscape depicts fields and meadows under a vast sky. Known for his representational paintings during the Abstract Expressionism era, Porter’s practice was influenced by Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard’s depictions of everyday life, and Willem de Kooning’s brushwork.
Wheat was painted in the last five years of Porter’s life as part of his famous landscapes collection. The painting is an ideal example of contemporary realism genre, showcasing Porter’s ability to simplify light into shapes of color that evoke emotion and atmosphere.
Wheat is part of the Bebe and Crosby Kemper Collection at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City. It highlights how a simple landscape can have an impact using color theory to create unity between landscape elements that transports viewers right into those American grain fields during harvest time.
In conclusion, Fairfield Porter’s use of vibrant colors combined with his ability to efficiently convey light through shape is especially evident within Wheat. As a result, viewers can experience first-hand what it would have been like to witness those wheat fields bustling during autumn harvest back when America truly felt like the landhome it deserved to be called.
