Artist's Studio with Figure 1968

Frank Mason created this painting of an artist's studio with a figure in 1965. It's a scene dominated by depictions of the human form, both as classical sculpture and as framed paintings hung salon-style. The artist himself sits to the right, sketching. Mason, born in 1921, belonged to a generation of artists that had to negotiate the dominance of abstract expressionism. We can see him here asserting an alternative set of values. He emphasizes skill, tradition, and the continuity of art history. Mason established the Art Students League of New York, which is telling. By creating a traditional atelier, he offered artists a place to study classical techniques outside of the mainstream art education system. To understand Mason's project, look at the cultural context, the history of art education, and the institutions that supported different kinds of art during this time. All these things would illuminate the choices he made in this painting.