Rockwell Kent, American (1882-1971)

Rockwell Kent’s works are filled with symbolism and rich content that question the nature of existence and meaning. Flame is an excellent example of his pristine woodcuts, with rich tonality and defined lines that show a steady hand and deliberate draftsmanship. With humanity as the hero in many of his works, Kent opens a window into the struggle for purpose in the sometimes harsh climate of life. In this print, the figure is rendered architecturally as part of a landscape that echoes the mountains, reaching up to the sky. Shooting flames erupt around him, not to consume him, but rather there is the sense that this figure is born of the flames, awakening to rise.

Kent’s stylistic inspirations were British illustrators and the romantic Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, rather than the abstract or Post-Impressionist style that was popular in his time. He had extensive training in the arts and lived and traveled all over the world, often choosing harsh climates such as Greenland and Tierra del Fuego for his personal and artistic explorations. As a result, he often depicted the bleak and rugged aspects of nature in his work. He wrote and also illustrated books, notably 300 pen-and-ink drawings for a new edition of Moby Dick, as well as many others. A political radical, Kent is often remembered for his activism and championing of leftist causes, though he consistently denied ties to Communism. In the tense years of 1940s and 50s Cold War politics, his views overshadowed his work, negatively affecting his reputation and popularity in the American art scene. In recent decades, the acknowledgement of his art accomplishments has overcome the perception of his politics.