Precisionism

Often remembered as the precursor to Abstract Expressionism, the term “precisionism" was coined by MoMA's first director Alfred H. Barr Jr. in the years following the First World War. The artists who defined the Precisionism movement shared a common goal of depicting the highly modernized architecture and urban industry of post-war America. These depictions distinctively eliminated visual detail, and sharply reduced their subjects to the essential geometric and mechanical forms observed in the newly commercialized landscape of the United States.

Though Precisionism originated in America and inherently articulated the American experience, the movement has been recognized for having sought visual inspiration from the European avant-garde movements of Cubism and Futurism which had recently preceded it. In fact, certain historians estimate that the starting point of this exchange can be traced back to the 1913 Armory Exhibition of Modern Art. This marked the beginning of a shared style characterized by geometrization, visual clarity, and a smooth handling of surfaces.

Artsper's experts have curated a selection of works by artists who both pioneered and were inspired by this iconic movement: one which is steeped in the post-war history of the United States, and continues to be regarded as a relic of its time. Some of our favorites include Edward Hopper, Joseph Stella, and Georgia O'Keeffe.