Magus
1987
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
color woodcut on laid paper
Dimensions
image: 76.52 × 53.66 cm (30 1/8 × 21 1/8 in.) sheet: 90.17 × 61.6 cm (35 1/2 × 24 1/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of Susan Paul Firestone)
Accession Number
2015.19.3088
Art Historical Context
**Magus**, a striking color woodcut created by Jacob Kainen in 1987, exemplifies the artist's mastery of printmaking in his later years. Kainen (1909–2001), an American abstract artist associated with the Washington Color School, was renowned for his bold explorations of color, form, and texture. This work, measuring 76.52 × 53.66 cm on laid paper, captures a sense of mystery evoked by its enigmatic title—"Magus," evoking a sorcerer or wise mystic—through layered hues and dynamic compositions typical of his mature style. The medium of color woodcut is particularly significant here, as it dema...
About the Artist
Jacob Kainen
Jacob Kainen was born on December 7, 1909, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Russian immigrant parents who nurtured his cultural interests; his father was an inventor, and his mother instilled a love of music and literature. The family relocated to New York City in 1918, where Kainen immersed himself in art through newspaper clippings and visits to the Metropolitan Museum. After graduating from DeWitt...