Ruth Gikow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ruth Gikow
Ruth Gikow with Susanna and Jack Levine, c.1950
Born	January 6, 1915 Russian Empire
Died	April 2, 1982 (aged 67) New York City, New York, U S.
Nationality	American
Known for	Visual artist, painter
Spouse(s)	Jack Levine (1946-1982; her death)

Ruth Gikow (January 6, 1915 – April 2, 1982) was an American visual artist. She was mostly known for her work as a genre painter. This means she painted scenes from everyday life. Her artworks often showed people in city settings.

Ruth Gikow's Early Life and Art Training

Ruth Gikow was born on January 6, 1915, in the Russian Empire. Her father, Boris, was a photographer. In 1920, her family moved to New York City. They left their home because of difficult times and challenges faced by Jewish communities.

In New York City, Ruth's family faced poverty. Even so, Ruth showed great talent for drawing from a young age. She was very good at art in elementary school. At age thirteen, she went to Washington Irving High School. There, she continued to improve her artistic skills.

Later, she studied at the Cooper Union Art School. She learned from teachers like Austin Purvis, Jr. and John Steuart Curry. Ruth worked hard and had a job at Woolworth's at night. She even won a scholarship in her second year. This allowed her to work with another painter, Raphael Soyer.

In 1935, she joined the New York City WPA Federal Art Project. This program helped artists during the Great Depression. It allowed Ruth to focus on her art full-time.

Ruth Gikow's Artistic Career

In 1939, Ruth Gikow was inspired by famous mural painters. Murals are large paintings on walls. She applied for and won a chance to paint murals for places like Bronx Hospital and Rockefeller Center. She also painted for the New York World's Fair.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Federal Arts Project ended. Ruth then painted murals for department stores. But she became less interested in mural painting because it felt too commercial.

Ruth helped start the American Serigraph Society. Here, she learned and improved her skills in silk screen printing. Her work was shown in a 1940 exhibition at the MoMA. This show helped make affordable art prints available to everyone. Her art was also part of exhibitions in 1947 and 1951.

In 1946, she married fellow artist Jack Levine. His dedication to art inspired her own work. That same year, she had her first solo art show in New York City. She showed her experimental prints, and people liked them. A young Eleanor Antin, who later became a famous artist, modeled for some of Ruth's early works.

Ruth Gikow received a grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1959. In 1979, she was chosen to be an Associate member of the National Academy of Design. She became a full Academician in 1982.

Ruth Gikow's Artistic Style

Ruth Gikow became well-known for her large paintings. These often showed city scenes and crowds of people. But her art also included many different kinds of people from everyday life.

At first, Ruth wanted to be a fashion or commercial artist. But she couldn't find work because of the Great Depression. She changed her mind about commercial art after being inspired by a classmate. This classmate drew a caged animal, capturing its feeling, not just its look. Ruth realized this was the kind of art she wanted to create.

Her early prints, like Flood from 1943, were more surreal. This means they had a dream-like or unusual style. These early works used bold colors and layered shapes. They often showed vague human figures in an abstract way.

In 1947, Ruth traveled abroad with her husband. She saw works by master artists like Piero della Francesca and Masaccio. This trip influenced her to develop a more natural style. In this style, human figures looked more realistic. She used detailed lines, accurate body shapes, and strong shading. Her 1969 print Protest shows this change. It highlights her focus on capturing the human form with expressive strokes in a natural way.

Where to See Ruth Gikow's Art

You can find Ruth Gikow's artwork in many important places, including:

• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Museum of Modern Art
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Whitney Museum

Images for kids

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  Ruth Gikow with Susanna and Jack Levine, c.1950

See also

In Spanish: Ruth Gikow para niños