Cylinders 1944

Karl Knaths made this painting, entitled Cylinders, using oil on canvas. The grid-like pattern acts as a window onto the artistic practice of abstraction in the mid-20th century. We might ask what social role this kind of art played during that period. Made in the USA, abstraction was seen by some as a progressive step, freeing art from conservative academic constraints. But others perceived it as an elitist practice with no clear public function. Knaths' painting could be read as a response to the intense debates about the nature and purpose of art during the Cold War. Although seemingly apolitical, abstraction became a powerful tool. Scholarly research into the critical reception of abstract art at the time can shed light on the artistic and social context that shaped its production and reception.