Edward Corbett Paintings

Edward Corbett was an American painter known for his significant contributions to the Abstract Expressionist movement, though his work often strayed from the movement's more recognized styles and into territories that were uniquely his own. Born in Chicago on April 5, 1919, he grew up in a family that valued arts and culture. His formal education in art began at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute) and he later attended the Art Students League in New York City as well as the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts.

Corbett's early work was influenced by his instructors and the prevalent styles of the time, including Abstract Expressionism and the New York School. However, his style evolved to become more lyrical and poetic, often characterized by muted colors, soft edges, and an atmospheric quality that suggested landscapes or emotional states rather than depicting them outright. He was part of a circle of artists who sought a more personal and introspective approach to abstraction.

During World War II, Corbett served in the United States Army, and this experience, along with his travels in Europe, particularly Greece, influenced his artistic vision. His experiences abroad seemed to infuse his work with a sense of history and the weight of human experience. After the war, he returned to the United States and became an influential teacher, holding positions at various institutions, including the Black Mountain College in North Carolina, and later at the University of Minnesota and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C.

Corbett's work received critical acclaim during his lifetime, and he was included in several important exhibitions, such as the 1955 Whitney Annual where his work was shown alongside that of Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. Despite this, he never achieved the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries. Corbett's introspective nature and his move away from the commercial art scene to Washington, D.C., in the latter part of his career might have contributed to this relative obscurity.

Edward Corbett died on February 22, 1971, in Washington, D.C., leaving behind a body of work that continues to be studied and appreciated for its quiet intensity and emotional depth. His paintings are held in the collections of major institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Corbett's artistic legacy is one that speaks to the power of subtlety and the depth that can be found in the understated, marking him as a distinct voice within the panorama of American modern art.