Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Arshile Gorky died in 1948; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2018.
In context
Soft Night — Arshile Gorky
The original measures 97 × 127 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 44 at death.
Painted when the artist was 43. The artist lived to 44. 67 of the 73 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Arshile Gorky (1904–1948) ▲ this work, 1947 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1932 Main working years: 1932–1944 Late works: from 1944
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
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: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/arshile-gorky-soft-night-ARC9G9-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Espresso #333b4a
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
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.
Together these works take 97.5% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 86 works by this artist, of which 22 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 13 of them, with 1.1% of that attention. 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 and museum
Born in Khorgam, Turkey
arshile gorky, born vostanik manoug adoian, was a turkish-born armenian-american painter who left an indelible mark on the art world. born on april 15, 1904, in khorgom, van, ottoman empire (now turkey), gorky's life was marked by turmoil and displacement, which would later influence his artistic style.
gorky's family fled to russian-controlled territory during the armenian genocide in 1915. this pivotal event shaped his worldview and informed his future artistic expressions. in 1920, at the age of 16, gorky reunited with his father in america but struggled to form a close bond.
landscape in the manner of cézanne (1927) and landscape, staten island (1927–1928) exemplify gorky's early experimentation with cubism and post-impressionism.
his later works, such as nighttime, enigma, nostalgia (1930–1934), showcase a shift towards surrealism, characterized by complex, abstract forms.
key artworks:
the artist and his mother (ca. 1926–1936), a poignant portrait inspired by a childhood photograph, showcases gorky's innovative style.
portrait of master bill, initially believed to be a portrait of willem de kooning, is now recognized as a depiction of a swedish carpenter who worked for gorky.
collaborations and influences:
gorky's association with the works progress administration federal art project (1933) brought him alongside notable artists like alice neel, lee krasner, jackson pollock, and mark rothko.
his work was also influenced by paul cézanne, as seen in his landscape series.
gorky's impact on abstract expressionism is undeniable. his works can be found in various museums, including the national gallery of art, washington, d.c., and are a testament to his enduring influence.
explore gorky's artwork and other influential artists at AllPaintingsStore.
delve into the world of art history with AllPaintingsStore's comprehensive timeline: wahoo art timeline.
arshile gorky's life, marked by displacement and turmoil, translated into a body of work that would redefine the landscape of abstract expressionism. his legacy continues to inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike, a testament to the transformative power of art. view gorky's artworks on AllPaintingsStore learn more about arshile gorky on wikipedia
originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/arshile-gorky-soft-night-ARC9G9-en/
Look closely
Soft Night — Arshile Gorky
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"Soft Night" is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas. The order can be placed on its Hand-Painted Reproduction page, with a choice of sizes.
The color that stands out most in "Soft Night" is espresso (#333b4a). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.
"Soft Night" by Arshile Gorky can be downloaded from the artwork's Download page, as a high-resolution digital image download.