Recently, an American art historian Henry Adams (Henry Adams) said that the famous painting by Jackson Pollock (Jackson Pollock) «Fresco" (1943) can see a huge artist's signature. Adams, a professor at the University Case Western Reserve (Cleveland, ea. Ohio), spoke about the discovery in his new book.

The first sign I saw the professor's wife, Marianne Berardi (Marianne Berardi), also a historian of art. Somehow they both saw the painting, and Marianne suddenly noticed that some of the flourishes in the upper right corner of the recall letters S, O and N. Looking closely, she was able to distinguish the name of JACKSON POLLOCK.

Adams convinced that the artist first painted on canvas his name, and then "built" around the entire composition. According to Sue Taylor (Sue Taylor), art historian from the State University of Portland, this is quite possible. Taylor said that in many works of Pollock, completed in early 1940's, there are various letters, numbers and other characters.

«Fresco" is considered one of the most important works of the painter. Theoretician of abstract expressionism, Clement Greenberg (Clement Greenberg) once said that when looking at this picture, he realized that its author - the greatest of all American artists. The work was commissioned by the famous avant-garde patron Peggy Guggenheim (Peggy Guggenheim). Pollock's wife Lee Krasner (Lee Krasner) told me that the artist painted "Murals" for one night, after several months of creative crisis. This legend was included in the film "Pollock" (2000), the main role which played the famous actor Ed Harris (Ed Harris). However, some doubt that all was as Krasner said: art critic, Francis V. O'Connor (Francis V. Connor), for example, argues that the artist worked on the canvas throughout the summer of 1943.

book, Henry Adams, which is called "Tom and Jack," Pollock says the relationship with his teacher Thomas Hart Benton (Thomas Hart Benton). In it he refutes the allegation that, in his mature period, the artist refused any implication to the ideas of his mentor. In the American art community, 1940 at Benton, an ardent preacher of realism, was regarded as reactionary. However, Adams wrote that the ideas of modernism had a great influence on this artist, not only on his work, but also on methods of self-promotion: Benton, as the Dadaists, often attracted attention with controversial statements. According to Adams, Pollock was influenced by his teacher throughout his career.

The historian says that "Frescoes" can be perceived as a huge billboard. According to him, this work was intended to declare the whole world that Jackson Pollock - a great artist. Caramel Pepe (Pepe Karmel), art historian from New York University, argues that if the artist is actually adorned with a huge picture of the signature, this product can be perceived as something akin attacks Dadaist Francis Picabia (Francis Picabia) on the "pathetic" vanguard.

However, the theory of signature Caramel does not. He compares the work of Pollock with smear Rorschach, in which anyone can behold all that he pleases. The picture shows a huge number of different zakoryuchek and decorations, and if you want it quite possible to discern the name "Jackson Pollock", but this does not mean that the name there is in reality.

In 1951, Peggy Guggenheim gave "Frescoes" Art Museum of the University of Iowa, where the picture is stored so far. Last year, the conversation turned to its sale (the museum was badly damaged in a flood, and needed funds for repairs). Then, now valued at $ 100 million. But in the end it decided not to sell: after all the work is the most valuable item in the museum, and many people come there to see it at her.

Pollock is the author of the most expensive in the world of art: in 2006, billionaire David Geffen (David Geffen) earned on the sale of his paintings "Composition number 5" entire $ 140 million.

Material prepared Yulia Maximova, AI

Source: artnews.com , smithsonianmag.com , artinvestment.ru