Argula

The painting Argula was created by Arshile Gorky in 1938. Executed in oil on canvas, this work is a crucial example of the intense stylistic evolution occurring in American painting during the late 1930s, as artists sought to synthesize European Surrealist concepts with emerging abstract forms. This significant piece is housed in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where it serves as a touchstone for understanding Gorky's pivotal transitional period.

During the year 1938, Gorky was deeply involved in processing avant-garde traditions, particularly the biomorphic shapes and subconscious imagery favored by artists like Joan Miró. The American painter used his knowledge of these movements to forge a distinct, personal visual language. His technique in this work reflects a nuanced application of oil on canvas, often characterized by thinly applied washes and distinct, black calligraphic lines that define the ambiguous, organic forms suggested within the composition. The resulting canvas evokes fragmented figures or natural elements, though the subject matter of Argula resists easy, literal categorization. This ambiguity is intentional, marking the mature phase of Gorky's internal study of abstraction before his definitive breakthroughs in the 1940s.

Gorky’s efforts in works such as this established him as a critical forerunner of the Abstract Expressionist movement that would dominate American art following World War II. The careful preservation of the painting Argula within the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection ensures its continued study by scholars. As a key example of the artist’s inventive output from 1938, the piece is frequently analyzed for its profound influence on post-war abstraction, and high-quality reproductions and prints are widely accessible, allowing broader public engagement with this transformative moment in modern culture.