Author Description

This volume was published to accompany an exhibition of the works of American contemporary artist who works primarily in painting and printmaking, Jasper Johns (b. 1930). In the late 1950's, Johns emerged as force in the American art scene. His richly worked paintings of maps, flags, and targets led the artistic community away from Abstract Expressionism toward a new emphasis on the concrete. Johns laid the groundwork for both Pop Art and Minimalism. The exhibition of works depicted in this book was held at the National Gallery in Washington, concentrating on the pivotal decade 1955-1965 when Johns produced his most famous works. Alongside the full color reproductions of Johns' works are analysis of various diverse aspects of these early years of his career that established him as one of the great figures in modern art and stimulated much in art created by others.