The Leaf of the Artichoke Is an Owl

The Leaf of the Artichoke Is an Owl, painted by Arshile Gorky in 1944, is a defining example of the transitional phase between European Surrealism and emerging American Abstract Expressionism. Executed in oil on canvas, this work exemplifies Gorky’s unique blend of biomorphism, autobiography, and sophisticated abstract form, solidifying his role as a foundational figure in postwar American painting.

During the mid-1940s, Gorky developed his signature vocabulary of attenuated, floating forms derived partly from nature and partly from subconscious associations, often referencing the Armenian landscape of his childhood. This complex piece, created shortly before his devastating studio fire, is characterized by vibrant, liquid fields of color and thin, pencil-like lines that seem to map out strange, hybrid entities. The title itself suggests the poetic transformation of mundane natural objects into surprising, living entities, typical of the Surrealist drive for unexpected juxtaposition.

The technique employed involves careful drawing overlaid onto expressive, often translucent washes of color. The interplay between the structured line and the expressive field is central to the painting's visual tension, reflecting Gorky’s mastery of automatic drawing applied directly to the canvas. This exploration of the subconscious mind through organic abstraction distinguished his American output and profoundly influenced subsequent generations of the New York School.

This significant canvas demonstrates why Gorky is often considered both the last of the Surrealists and the first of the Abstract Expressionists. The year 1944 marks a period of high creative synthesis for the artist, and reproductions and prints of this unique composition are frequently studied by students of modern art. The Leaf of the Artichoke Is an Owl is currently housed in the esteemed collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), ensuring its continued prominence in the study of modern art history.