Hans Hofmann

A pioneering figure in Abstract Expressionism, Hans Hofmann had a profound influence on mid-20th-century American art. Renowned for his vibrant use of colour and dynamic compositions bursting with irregular forms, Hofmann’s work left an indelible mark on the art world.

Hofmann was born in 1880 in Weißenburg, Bavaria. The artist studied at the Moritz Heymann art school in Munich and was greatly influenced by Impressionism and post-Impressionism. Hofmann studied in Paris for the decade before World War I, where he became interested in Cubism and Fauvism, which would eventually lead to a total commitment to gestural abstraction. He admired the work of Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Henri Matisse, whose bold treatment of colour remained a significant influence on Hofmann’s work throughout his career.

In 1930, Hofmann moved to the United States, where he became a pivotal figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement. Establishing the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in New York City and Provincetown, Massachusetts in 1934 and 1935 respectively, he earned a reputation as an exceptional teacher. His pedagogy emphasised the importance of spontaneity and the expressive potential of colour, guiding a generation of artists including Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella and Joan Mitchell. Along with Josef Albers, Hofmann was one of the most important teachers of abstract art in the United States.

In 1958 Hofmann ended his hugely influential teaching career, closing his schools in New York and Provincetown, to concentrate solely on his own art. Reflecting his flourishing creative energies, it was a period that saw his work attract mounting critical acclaim. Hofmann was renowned for his innate understand of the painterly rhythm, manifested in his paintings as a spontaneous, joyful dance of colour, texture and gesture. He developed a signature technique which he called ‘push and pull’ — an interplay of colours and shapes to create a sense of depth and movement on the canvas. This method is vividly exemplified in his ‘slab’ paintings, where thick, rectangular slabs of colour appear to float and interact, showcasing his mastery of abstract composition.

In 1960, Hofmann was at the height of his creative powers, as he refined and distilled his painterly technique and its underlying principles. In 2017 Christie’s sold his 1960 masterpiece Lava for US$,8,862,500, setting a world auction record for the artist.

Hans Hofmann died in 1966 in New York. His art transcended the mere application of paint; it was a profound exploration of colour, form and emotion. Hofmann’s legacy endures through his extensive body of work and the lasting impact of his teaching.

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

Le bouquet du vine

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Beatae Memoriae

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Eine kleine Nachtmusik [A Nightly Love Song]

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Swamp Series IV--Sunburst

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

First Blaze of the Rising Sun

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Sun at the Wall

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

First Blaze of the Rising Sun

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Outlook to the Sea

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Studio No. II in Blue

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Evening Magic

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

Orchestral Dominance in Red

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

Flowers of the Mind

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Otium cum Dignitate

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Delirious Pink

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Symphony in the Sky

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Interior No. 1 - Pink Table, Yellow Tulips

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

White in Blue

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Dance of the Butterflies

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Studio Unfinished

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Interpenetration

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

Botanic Garden

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Colligation No. 2

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966)

Foreboding of Spring

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

Provincetown Harbor

HANS HOFMANN (1880-1966)

Composition No. 15