Moth Dance 1929

Arthur Dove made this painting, Moth Dance, using wax emulsion on canvas. Dove was one of the first American abstract painters. You could say his works helped pave the way for later movements like Abstract Expressionism. But his abstract language also connects to the history of landscape painting. His forms are simplified and organic, inspired by nature. This painting was made in the early to mid-twentieth century, a period of increasing urbanization in the United States. Dove, along with other artists of his time, turned to nature as an alternative to the rapidly changing modern world. Abstraction allowed him to capture the essence of nature, rather than simply representing its appearance. As an art historian, I'm interested in understanding how Dove's work reflects the social and cultural values of his time. We might ask, how did his art challenge or reinforce the ideas of the institutions of art at the time? By looking at exhibition reviews and other historical documents, we can come to a more nuanced understanding of Dove's place in the history of American art.