Wharton Esherick
Theodore Dreiser – Of a Great City, 1928
The 1928 wood engraving, “Of a Great City,” is an image of Esherick’s friend Theodore Dreiser at work. Esherick highlights the elements surrounding him in his studio employing a highly graphic and stylized modernist composition. Behind Dreiser is a tall window that places him in the context of a teeming and modern New York City.
Wharton Esherick and Theodore Dreiser first encountered each other at the Hedgerow Theatre in 1924. Dreiser traveled from New York to see a female friend perform there, and he was scheduled to stay the night at Esherick’s home in Paoli. The two men hit it off and developed a strong friendship, as they both respected and appreciated each other’s talents.
Edition of 26.
Wharton Esherick (1887 – 1970) was an internationally significant figure in the landscape of art history and American modern design. As a sculptor, Esherick worked primarily in wood and extended his unique forms to furniture, furnishings, interiors, buildings, and more. A Philadelphia-area modernist sculptor deeply influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement, Wharton Esherick designed and built furniture distinctive for its asymmetric, prismatic forms. His goal was to design furniture that functioned as sculpture, and sculpture that functioned as furniture.
| Dimensions | 10.25 × 13 in |
|---|---|
| Style | |
| Artist | |
| Date | 1928 |
