JOSEPH MARGULIES
by Mildred Thaler Cohen
In his essay, "What is Painting" published by Scribner's in 1917, Kenyon Cox wrote, "Painting... can reveal to us things we should not have seen for ourselves in nature..., we live more intensely and rejoice in our perception of this intensity of life."
And, indeed, these thoughts clearly describe the works of Joseph Margulies (1896-1983) who has gifted us with his insight, reality and human sentiment, rewarding us with a wide-ranging palette of pleasurable sensibilities.
Born over 100 years ago in Vienna, Joseph Margulies came to the shores of America and enjoyed a long and successful career in his portrayal of nature and man.
He studied at the National Academy of Design, Cooper Union, as well as the Art Students League in this country, and continued his studies abroad in Paris, Vienna and Rome.
While he received many commissions for his acclaimed portraits, he still found time to paint appealing scenes of Central Park, Riverside Drive and other enchanting landmarks of New York City, the cultural mecca of the world and the city where he lived.
But then, summers beckoned him to Cape Ann where he was drawn to the Rockport Art Association, an area much beloved by many artists. Margulies maintained a summer studio in Gloucester and contributed to a remarkable chapter in the history of American art which embraced that circle of artist luminaries, Leon Kroll, John Sloan Edward Hopper, and Hayley Lever, all who shared in that haven of beauty where talent abounded. Like Hopper, Margulies, too, was inspired by the stark drama of the harbor. The years in Gloucester were a pivotal time for Margulies,made famous in compelling works exploding with bright Fauvist colors, executed in energetic and vigorous brushstrokes. We appreciate the deft handling of light and mood. We respond to the affection he feels for the boat builders, the force of the sea, and the seagoing vessels preparing for travel, wistfully anticipating the journey that is to come.
When John Sloan died in 1951 and Reginald Marsh in 1954, this style of painting declined in popularity. Abstraction and various other modern trends were in vogue. Joseph Margulies, however, did not follow the new fashion. He staunchly maintained his independence, and we are forced to take note of the timelessness in his art. He is renowned, internationally, not only for the perceptive oil portraits of outstanding citizens, but equally, for his etchings, aquatints, and watercolors.
We are keenly aware of his masterful contributions to the field of etchings, a distinct compliment to his teacher, Joseph Pennell, and take note of his facility and competence in technical expertise.
These icons of beauty, of a long and successful career, speak to a larger audience, and will continue to invite inspection, please the eye, and decorate the home.
"Gloucester Bay"
o/c, 18" x 24", sll
"Resting in the Field"
o/c, 20" x 24", slr
Mildred Thaler Cohen is the director of the Marbella Gallery in New York City