Student Artwork Guide

Name Class Date

James Brooks, Harmagh (1967). Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: James Brooks artsdot.com/en/artists/james-brooks/
Artist’s dates: 1906 – 1992
Painted: 1967
Original size: 121 x 153 cm

Copyright This work is still under copyright. James Brooks died in 1992; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2062. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Harmagh — James Brooks

How big is it?

The original measures 121 × 153 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990

03
413
1423
2433
3443
4453
5463
6473
7483
8486

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 86 at death.

Painted when the artist was 61. The artist lived to 86. 4 of the 6 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of James Brooks (1906–1992) ▲ this work, 1967 every dated painting, decade by decade

Compare with

Number 13, 1965 artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-number-13-D3FJ7Z-en/
Untitled, 1952 artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-untitled-D7RA89-en/
B 1955 artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-b-1955-AQRGVR-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Putty #d9d1ba

Catalogued palette

#D9D1BA
#616A64
#98A198
#1B1618

These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

Palette: Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Putty
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Where in the world is this painting looked at?

under 1%
1–3%
3–8%
8–20%
20% and over

This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by James Brooks over the last twelve months — 4 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 66.7%
2 United Arab Emirates 11.1%
3 Malaysia 11.1%
4 United States of America 11.1%

Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

The 7 most looked-at works by James Brooks

1 B 1955 33.3%
2 Ipswich 22.2%
3 Oran, 1969 11.1%
4 Untitled, 1953 11.1%
5 Black and White, 1965 11.1%
6 Number 13, 1965 11.1%
— Harmagh, 1967 this painting 0.0%

Together these works take 99.9% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 8 works by this artist, of which 6 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

Artist

James Brooks

Born in St. Louis, United States of America

Early Life and Education

Born: October 18, 1906, St. Louis, Missouri

Family moved to Dallas, Texas in 1916

Studied art at Southern Methodist University (1922-1924)

Private lessons with James A. Waddell and Martha Simkins in Dallas

Moved to New York City in 1926

Studied at the Art Students League under Boardman Robinson and Kimon Nicolaides

Worked as a commercial artist to support himself

The WPA Years and Early Murals

Active in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project from 1936-1942

Painted three murals for the WPA, demonstrating social realist style.

Flight (1940-1942): A significant mural at La Guardia Airport's Marine Air Terminal, depicting the history of aviation. It was the largest WPA mural and later restored after being painted over.

Friendships with Jackson Pollock and Philip Guston during this period

Abstract Expressionist Period: Style and Development

Served as a combat artist in the U.S. Army (1942-1945)

Returned to New York City in 1946, reconnected with Pollock and Krasner

Shifted towards Abstract Expressionism, influenced by Surrealist principles

Developed a unique staining technique: Experimenting with the bleed of paste through canvas.

Early works showed influences of Synthetic Cubism.

Palette initially featured browns, grays, blacks and vivid colors.

Later work incorporated larger forms, broader strokes, and simpler compositions using acrylics.

Often used numbers and letters to identify paintings, incorporating nonsense syllables as titles (e.g., Pask, Burwak, Jondol).

Major Exhibitions and Recognition

First solo exhibition at the Peridot Gallery in New York City (1949)

Participated in the historic Ninth Street Exhibition (1951) – a key event in Abstract Expressionism.

Featured in exhibitions such as Twelve Americans and New American Painting at the Museum of Modern Art.

Documenta, Kassel, West Germany (1959).

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (1969)

Legacy and Historical Significance

Considered a first-generation Abstract Expressionist painter.

Known for his innovative staining techniques and lyrical abstraction.

His work is held in prominent collections including the Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Modern Art, Tate Gallery, and National Gallery of Art.

Brooks's artistic journey reflects the evolution of Abstract Expressionism and his willingness to experiment with new approaches to painting.

Died on March 9, 1992, in East Hampton, New York.

Where to read more

The artist James Brooks artsdot.com/en/artists/james-brooks/
Similar works More works to compare artsdot.com/en/art/similar/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Harmagh

artsdot.com/en/art/download/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Brooks, James. Harmagh. 1967, https://artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/
APA: Brooks, James (1967). Harmagh [Painting]. https://artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/
Chicago: James Brooks. Harmagh. 1967. https://artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/
Harvard: Brooks, James (1967) Harmagh. Available at: https://artsdot.com/en/art/james-brooks-harmagh-AQRGVX-en/

Harmagh — James Brooks

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
Look back at Number 13 (1965), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
James Brooks was about 61 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

Questions & Answers

Does "Harmagh" show strong light-dark contrasts?

"Harmagh" by James Brooks shows a statement contrast between its light and dark areas.

Can I watch "Harmagh" as a full-screen slideshow?

"Harmagh" by James Brooks can be viewed as a slideshow on the artwork's Diaporama page.

How does "Harmagh" balance light and dark?

"Harmagh" is shadow overall, and its luminance is soft shadow.