Cathedral #18a 1966

Leon Berkowitz, a Washington D.C. painter, made this abstract canvas, Cathedral #18a, sometime in the mid-20th century. Berkowitz was part of a movement known as the Washington Color School, a group of artists who moved away from the emotional intensity of abstract expressionism, towards something more coolly formal and decorative. Looking at this painting, we see broad stripes of color running vertically, a format that recalls the architecture of a cathedral, hence the title. Although his work appears abstract, Berkowitz believed that painting, like music, could express deep spiritual truths. He found inspiration in the writings of the French philosopher, Gaston Bachelard, who wrote about the way light and color evoke sensations of space and time. The social role of the artist and the cultural institutions like galleries that exhibit his work, remain central to our understanding of art history. We can consult artists' writings, exhibition reviews, and the records of galleries to gain a richer appreciation of art.