Beach 1949

Karl Knaths made this untitled painting, which we know as “Beach”, with oil on canvas. Knaths really commits to the grid. Each block of color has been laid on in these deliberate, almost architectural strokes. His painting becomes a process of measured application, where colors meet and butt up against each other, creating this tension of near-perfect alignment. I love the lower part of the painting, where we see this ochre sand color. A dark, sinuous line cuts through it, suggesting the curves of a reclining body. There’s something about that gestural, curving line against the more rigid geometry of the composition that really sings. It’s like a secret, organic joke amidst all this order. It reminds me of Marsden Hartley, but with a pinch more abstraction. Both artists were fascinated with the American landscape and explored its forms through a Modernist lens. With its subtle wit and thoughtful construction, Knaths' work stands as a testament to the endless possibilities of paint.