Hans Hofmann
American, born Germany, 1880­1966
The Golden Wall
1961
Oil on canvas
151 x 182 cm
Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Logan Prize Fund, 1962.775

This painting is made of many rectangles and squares. Thick coats of paint form each geometric shape, but some surfaces are smooth and some are very rough. The artist made this variety of textures so that the forms would stick out from the painting’s background and create a “golden wall.”

Hofmann was famous for using pure colors that were bright and contrasting to create a “push-pull” effect. Do the rectangles seem to move back and forth? Which seem closer to you? Which seem farther away?