SUBSTACK: The singular book on Hans Hofmann's School of Fine Arts supply list
Reading "Expressionism in Art" thanks to the precise recommendation of a world-famous Abstract Expressionist.
04.14.24 for Absolument !, my Substack channel
Modern painter and educator Hans Hofmann prescribed one book to his students on an introductory syllabus for his art school, the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The first line on the syllabus read: “It is recommended to students planning to join the Hans Hofmann School to read Sheldon Cheney’s (1934) book - Expressionism in Art.” The remainder of the page described the extensive and “necessary materials” for drawing and painting— all of which, as noted, could be purchased upon arrival in Provincetown. An outdoor easel, turpentine, charcoal paper, Rubens no. 7 flat brush with “some short, some long bristles,” oil paints in specific colors (cadmium lemon, cerulean blue, alizarine crimson, burnt umber, etc.), and…Expressionism in Art.
I got my hands on a vintage 1st edition copy as soon as humanly possible and it has been sitting on my desk in all of its tattered glory for nearly a year. I’ve been itching to read it, obviously, but I felt (and still feel) intimidated by its importance! Before reading it, I wanted to peer into the layered history of Hofmann, his school for the arts, and to think a little deeper about why he might have chosen this exact book. What messages did it have for art students at the time? Why was it the only book Hofmann listed?
Like my usual BOOK CLUB writings, I’ll include some of my personal recommendations at the end. Think of these as what I’d urge my own imaginary art students to read. Or, if his Provincetown school still existed and I had the luck to be a student, this would be a short list of what I would gravitate toward and share with my most-trusted classmates. Pretending I was there in Provincetown is my idea of a thrilling time!