Student Artwork Guide — Sail. In Two Movements

Name Class Date

Charles Demuth, Sail. In Two Movements. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: Charles Demuth originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/charles-demuth/
Artist’s dates: 1883 – 1935
Movement: Precisionism American factories, bridges and grain silos painted with sharp edges and no people at all.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Charles Demuth died in 1935; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2005.

Sail. In Two Movements — Charles Demuth

When might this have been painted?

1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 52 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of Charles Demuth (1883–1935) every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1916 Main working years: 1916–1925 Late works: from 1925

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

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Buildings Abstraction, Lancaster, 1931 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-buildings-abstraction-lancaster-D2QRJB-en/
Chimney and Water Tower, 1931 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-chimney-and-water-tower-D3YKA8-en/
I saw the figure 5 in gold (Homage to William Carlos Williams), 1928 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-i-saw-the-figure-5-in-gold-homage-to-william-carl-8DP4VN-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: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Plum #afb3cb

Catalogued palette

#AFB3CB
#EDE8E0
#6874A4
#2A2D62

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

Palette: Neutrals The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Plum
Intensity: Balanced 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: Softly Mixed Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Subtle Color 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 Charles Demuth over the last twelve months — 7 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 56.6%
2 United States of America 20.2%
3 France 12.1%
4 Mexico 4.0%
5 Hong Kong 3.0%
6 Singapore 3.0%
7 United Kingdom 1.0%

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 20 most looked-at works by Charles Demuth

1 Four male figures 16.4%
2 Sail. In Two Movements this painting 9.5%
3 I saw the figure 5 in gold (Homage to William Carlos Williams), 1928 3.4%
4 Sailor, Soldier, and Policeman, 1916 3.4%
5 Bathers Viewing the Sea, 1917 2.6%
6 Youth and Old Age 2.6%
7 Nana, seated left, and satin at Laure's Restaurant 2.6%
8 Untitled (580) 2.6%
9 Bermuda Number 2, The Schooner 2.6%
10 Mt. Gilboa 5, 1915 1.7%
11 Standing Nude, 1913 1.7%
12 Buildings 1.7%
13 Portrait Georgia O' keeffe 1.7%
14 Marcher receives his revelation at May Bartram's Tomb 1.7%
15 Housetops, seashore 1.7%
16 Apples 1.7%
17 Marshalls 1.7%
18 Augusta Wills Buckius Demuth 1.7%
19 Untitled (693) 1.7%
20 Bermuda Number 1, Tree and House 1.7%

Together these works take 64.4% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 248 works by this artist, of which 61 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 2 of them, with 9.5% 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.

Sail. In Two Movements — Charles Demuth

The Sail. In Two Movements painting by Charles Demuth is a quintessential representation of the Precisionist movement, characterized by its geometric forms and clean lines. Created in 1919, this watercolor on paper artwork showcases Demuth's unique style, which blends elements of cubism and expressionism to produce a visually striking piece.

The Artist and His Style

Charles Demuth was an American painter who developed a distinct style known as Precisionism. This movement emphasized the use of industrial and urban landscapes, depicted with sharp lines and geometric forms. Demuth's work, including Sail. In Two Movements, is notable for its subtle shadings of color and form, creating an intimate and calculating atmosphere. Key Features of the Painting The Sail. In Two Movements painting features a complex arrangement of sailboat masts, sails, and rigging, fragmented into shards and planes of color. The dominant blues and yellows evoke a sense of light reflecting off the surfaces, while the sharply delineated geometries convey energy and dynamic movement.

Similar Works by Charles Demuth

Some notable works by Charles Demuth include:

Nosegay, a watercolor painting that showcases Demuth's Precisionist style

MALE ATHLETE, a piece that highlights the artist's ability to capture the human form with precision and detail

Apples, a still life painting that demonstrates Demuth's skill in rendering everyday objects with geometric forms

Explore More at AllPaintingsStore.com To learn more about Charles Demuth and his works, visit AllPaintingsStore.com, which offers a wide range of handmade oil painting reproductions, including those by Demuth. You can also discover more about the Musée de l'Armée and its collection of French art from 1848 to 1914.

For a deeper understanding of Precisionism and its key artists, visit AllPaintingsStore.com's article on the Musée de l'Armée. Additionally, you can find more information about Charles Demuth on Wikipedia.

Artist

Charles Demuth

Born in Lancaster, United States of America

early life and education

charles henry buckius demuth, an american watercolorist, was born on november 8, 1883, in lancaster, pennsylvania. he developed a unique style of painting known as precisionism, which would later become a significant contribution to the american art scene. demuth's early education took place at franklin & marshall academy, followed by studies at drexel university and the prestigious pennsylvania academy of fine arts in philadelphia. it was during his time at pafa that he met william carlos williams, with whom he formed a lasting friendship.

career and influences

demuth's artistic career began to take shape after his studies in the united states. he later attended académie colarossi and académie julian in paris, where he became an integral part of the avant-garde art scene. the city's acceptance of his homosexuality also had a profound impact on his work. upon returning to america, demuth retained aspects of cubism in many of his works, reflecting the influence of his time in paris. his fondness for lancaster is evident in the subject matter of numerous works, showcasing industrial features like bridges, smoke stacks, and skyscrapers.

notable works and precisionism

demuth's most famous painting, the figure five in gold, was inspired by william carlos williams's poem "the great figure." this work is a prime example of demuth's unique style, which he termed "precisionism." other notable works include his "poster portraits," dedicated to artists and writers like georgia o'keeffe, arthur dove, and eugene o'neill. key characteristics of precisionism:

quasi-cubist, sharply defined manner

urban and rural landscapes with industrial features

highly structured scenes lacking figures

depiction of an industrial setting with sharp linearity

legacy and museum quality replicas at AllPaintingsStore

demuth's contributions to the precisionist art movement have left a lasting impact on american modernism. at AllPaintingsStore.com, you can find museum-quality replicas of his works, including the figure five in gold and other notable pieces. explore the world of precisionism with AllPaintingsStore's extensive collection: /en/art/show/art-d3cl2x-en/

Where to read more

The artist Charles Demuth originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/charles-demuth/
Similar works More works to compare originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Sail. In Two Movements

originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Demuth, Charles. Sail. In Two Movements. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/
APA: Demuth, Charles (n.d.). Sail. In Two Movements [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/
Chicago: Charles Demuth. Sail. In Two Movements. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/
Harvard: Demuth, Charles (n.d.) Sail. In Two Movements. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/charles-demuth-sail-in-two-movements-8DP4XV-en/

Sail. In Two Movements — Charles Demuth

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?
Our catalogue files this work under: boats. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
Look back at Buildings Abstraction, Lancaster (1931), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
Precisionism: American factories, bridges and grain silos painted with sharp edges and no people at all. Where can you see that in this work?

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

What orientation does "Sail. In Two Movements" by Charles Demuth have?

The format of "Sail. In Two Movements" is landscape. This is useful when planning where a reproduction will be placed.

Is "Sail. In Two Movements" free of copyright?

The copyright answer for "Sail. In Two Movements" by Charles Demuth: the work is in the public domain - its copyright has expired. This determines whether reproductions of the image may be freely made.

What is the perceived brightness of "Sail. In Two Movements" by Charles Demuth?

Overall, "Sail. In Two Movements" is recorded as brilliant. Perceived brightness describes how light or dark the work appears.