Guy Pene du Bois (1884-1958)

Hiro Fine Art is interested in purchasing artwork by Guy Pene du Bois.

Guy Pene du Bois was an art critic, educator and painter, known for his critique on society in the early 20th Century. Trained under Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase, his early work resembled the ashcan school. He soon left behind this dark palette with gestural strokes, reaching his mature style of rounded, simplified and highly of stylized figures that almost appeared sculptural. His subjects were witty and humorous, mocking the culture around him. He was regarded by critics for his technique and wittiness. Duncan Phillips once said of du Bois “[He is] an irrepressible mocker of human absurdity and a clever satirist of types familiar to our modern world…There is a clearness and a resonance in his pinks, blues, scarlets, and blacks.”

After a five year stay in France, he returned to America with a new perspective. His cultural critiques became less satirical and more psychological. Paintings evoked a strong sense of longing, suspense, and unresolved tension. Landscapes also found their way onto his canvases.

Even after gaining recognition as a painter, Pene Du Bois held many titles. He was an art and music critic, writing for New York American. He edited the magazine, Arts and Decoration where he promoted the 1913 Armory Show for he was an advocate for new movements. He was a member of the Society of Independent Artists, taught at the Art Students League, and opened an art school in Connecticut.