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Walsh Library
Gallery
Henry Gasser : Beyond City Limits
"I have always been interested in the painting of street scenes," quotes Henry Gasser in one of his many art books he authored during his illustrious career. Henry Gasser was born in Newark, NJ in 1909. Newark, being the largest city in the state was bursting with energy and would be a source of inspiration for many of Gasser's most important works. From childhood, he felt a connection everyday with people going about their business in a city interspersed with commercial high rises, row houses, majestic movie theaters and large private homes. Newark is also home of one of New Jersey's premiere art museums, which undoubtedly Gasser made frequent visits. Newark was known for its commerce, breweries, jewelry factories and many taverns dispersed throughout this hectic, crowded and energetic city. Perhaps, it was Henry's calling to respond to these surroundings through his art. Henry's Newark paintings go beyond aesthetics. They show vitality, reality and even the imperfection of man's relationship with a place in time frozen forever. Henry captured a significant period in America. Wandering the streets with a sketch book in hand was not uncommon for Gasser, in fact, many of his works began as impromptu quick sketches which would be refined and expanded in his studio. His mission was to discover, to document and to be challenged. "Even the most fragmentary sketch can form the basis for a future painting far better than the sharpest of photographs." One of the earliest works in the exhibition "Waterfront" (catalogue number 7) is not a literal transcription of a site, rather it is a composite painting, inspired from reality and composed in his studio. Henry always referred back to his important quick sketches as a reference. Henry was a master of dramatizing his subject at the expense of absolute accuracy. But isn't that what all good story tellers do. In Gasser's early years, he had the good fortune to meet the artist John R Grabach (1880-1981), and was greatly influenced by his subject matter and painting techniques. Grabach was an Ashcan school practitioner and soon became a father figure and mentor to Gasser. You can see a parallel in both these masters of grit and grime. Gasser and Grabach also made frequent trips to Cape Ann, MA which became a favorite subject for Henry. His wonderful snow scenes of New England have been widely acclaimed and considered some of his finest works. They have so much in common. Both painted in alla prima, direct painting technique. In fact, Henry's early works echo the Ashcan school in subject, style and composition, yet he was his own man. He was an original who had an extra ordinary ability to manipulate paint as illustrated in "Intersection" (cover illustration). This wonderful painting transcends reality by embellishing his subject with strong color which heightens the pictorial composition. Newark had jump started its commercial growth at the beginning of the 20th Century. Henry was at the right place at the right time. The activity was so enormous and exciting that it became a magnet for artists seeking stimulation. Henry studied at The Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, later to become a teacher there and subsequent Director of this institution. Henry saw the urban landscape becoming increasingly dreary and he sought to inject beauty in his own language of painting. Henry witnessed the suffering of people brought on by the great depression. In his painting "Skyline" (catalogue number 9), he embraces the promise industry gave to the struggling populous. The theme is heightened by the over all grays throughout the painting. Gasser felt a connection to the working class, so well depicted in "Factory Workers" (catalogue number 12). This painting portrays a group of people walking to work on a bright sunny day. There is a broader use of rich colors throughout this painting and as in all of his work, the people in Gasser's paintings are not identifiable yet you can identify with them. There are reoccurring subjects in his work, in particular a single lonely man is depicted in "Homeward" (catalogue number 21) a solitary figure walking through the snow is repeated in a number of his paintings, perhaps symbolizing man's personal struggle through life with all its trial and tribulations. Keep in mind, that when an artist is in his studio, he is alone in his world. We see the finished work usually exhibited in a festive atmosphere so prevalent at an opening reception yet it is the opposite end of the spectrum in which an artist is in his best form. Artists are not exhibitionists yet they want to be exhibited. Henry's world transcends beyond his studio. As a teacher, he shared his talent and knowledge with thousands of students. Although Henry is known for his powerful watercolors, he also executed works in other mediums. A fine example of a Gasser oil painting is "Newark Street Scene" (catalogue number 8). This work depicts an era long gone. The ice delivered in a horse drawn wagon was common place in the early years. This painting is richly colored and beautifully composed. The white horse and green wagon draws your attention to the obvious focal point; it is Henry at his best. During his years in the military, Henry was stationed in the south and became very interested in Southern culture. His frequent trips south provided him with subject matter that was exotic yet familiar. A fine example of one of Henry's Southern subjects is "Turner's Grocery" (catalogue number 40). This tour de force is a very ambitious work depicting a multiple of figures going about their daily life. It was also an issue for many artists of the '30s and '40s to define what American art should be. Thus, Henry's quest was to focus on the American scene. The search for a picturesque or ready made landscape, comprising ideal color, composition and subject matter often actually results in an unexciting dull picture." American scene painting was not a rejection of modernism; in fact, many American scene painters were enhanced by the modernist style. Gasser's painting can be interpreted on a multiple of levels and he was also willing to challenge the darker side of realism. Henry Gasser lived a full life as an artist, author, teacher and art director. He is represented in over 60 Museums throughout America. He was a member of The National Academy of Design, Allied Artists of America, Inc., The National Arts Club and many other prestigious art organizations. He garnered many important awards during his career and exhibited extensively throughout America. He gave us a visual diary of a time in America when humanity prevailed. In essence he was a surveyor of urban life and his paintings will be forever connected to his beloved Newark. Henry died in 1981 in South Orange, NJ. Gary T. Erbe, Guest Curator
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Updated:
08/19/04
