Eric de Chassey's Conceptual History of American Abstraction (1910-1960)

Eric de Chassey's 'La Peinture efficace. Une histoire de l'abstraction aux Etats-Unis (1910-1960)' offers a synthetic perspective on the evolution of abstraction in the United States. Following his 1998 doctoral thesis-turned-book 'Violence décorative: Matisse dans l'art américain' (éditions Jacqueline Chambon), this new work presents a conceptual history of abstraction in the country where it triumphed by the late 1950s. The book is organized chronologically into three phases: 'Abstraction and Modernism: The First American Abstraction' (1910-1930), 'Abstraction and Engagement: The 1930s' (1930-1945), and 'Abstraction and Subjects: Around Abstract Expressionism' (1945-1960). De Chassey examines variations in intentions, perceptions, and definitions of abstraction within the American context, drawing on rich and diverse documentary sources with extensive textual quotations. The analysis goes beyond formal history to encompass motivations and mentalities, making a significant contribution to 20th-century painting history. The review was written by Patrick Perry.