Phillips is delighted to offer the following selection of two outstanding works by Arshile Gorky from the Monmouth Museum in New Jersey. A largely self-taught Armenian émigré artist based in New York City, Gorky was a seminal figure in the American movement towards abstraction in the first half of 20th century. His groundbreaking oeuvre ultimately paved the way for Abstract Expressionism, and these two early works exemplify the artist’s insatiable desire to learn from the masters of modern art and to develop his own signature practice.

Rendered in oil on canvas, this work by Arshile Gorky demonstrates the Armenian-American master's profound engagement with the European modernist tradition as he forged his own distinctive visual language. The composition reflects Gorky's meticulous study of artists such as Picasso and Cézanne, absorbing their formal innovations while simultaneously pushing toward a deeply personal mode of expression. As one of two early works from the Monmouth Museum collection, this painting stands as a testament to Gorky's pivotal role in bridging European modernism and the emergence of American Abstract Expressionism.