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Gertrude Abercrombie: A Life in Art
Born: Austin, Texas (February 17, 1909)
Died: Chicago, Illinois (July 3, 1977)
Nationality: American
Early Life and Education
Gertrude Abercrombie was born into a family of traveling opera singers. Her parents, Tom and Lula Janes Abercrombie, frequently moved due to their profession.
The family spent time in Berlin in 1913 before returning to the United States amidst World War I. They eventually settled in Hyde Park, Chicago.
She received a degree in Romance Languages from the University of Illinois in 1929.
Briefly studied figure drawing at the Art Institute of Chicago and took a year-long course in commercial art at the American Academy of Art.
Early employment included creating advertisements for Mesirow Department Store and working as an artist for Sears.
Artistic Development and Style
Abercrombie dedicated herself to painting by 1932, achieving her first sale in 1933.
Her work during the 1930s was influenced by European Surrealism, though she didn't explicitly identify with the movement. She considered herself a Midwestern artist.
She participated in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project from 1934 to 1940.
Her style evolved from impressionistic brushwork to a more precise, linear approach.
Recurring themes and symbols include self-portraits, interiors, landscapes, owls, cats, keys, shells, doors, stairways, and ladders.
She often depicted solitary figures in sparsely furnished rooms, creating an atmosphere of introspection and mystery.
Her color palette shifted from dark, earthy tones to lighter hues after her second marriage.
Abercrombie's work is characterized by a dreamlike quality, elongated figures, and a symbolic vocabulary.
Influences and Notable Works
Giorgio de Chirico: Abercrombie’s style shows influence from the Italian metaphysical painter.
Ivan Albright & Julia Thecla: Shared regional magical realism with these contemporaries.
Jazz Music: Her close relationships with jazz musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker profoundly influenced her artistic vision, inspiring "Gertrude's Bounce" by Richie Powell.
Notable Works: White Cat (1938), Slaughterhouse Ruins at Aledo, Witches, Self-Portrait of My Sister, and numerous smaller works depicting interiors and symbolic objects.
Legacy and Historical Significance
Abercrombie is recognized as a significant figure in the Chicago art scene and a key representative of American Surrealism.
Her unique style and introspective themes have garnered increasing attention from scholars and collectors.
The Gertrude Abercrombie Trust, established through her will, distributed her work and that of other artists she supported to cultural institutions throughout the Midwest.
A major retrospective of her work was held at the Hyde Park Art Center shortly before her death in 1977.
Her art continues to be celebrated for its dreamlike quality, symbolic depth, and exploration of personal identity.
