Paintings

Maurice Sterne

Maurice Sterne studied with Thomas Eakins at the National Academy of Design in 1894. He first exhibited his oils in 1902. In 1904, he won a National Academy traveling scholarship. Living abroad until the approach of World War I, Sterne worked in Paris, where he was introduced to the art of Cezanne and Monet; in Italy, where he was influenced by the masters of the Italian Renaissance; and in Greece, where he became interested in sculpture. In 1911-1915, he visited Egypt, India, Burma and Bali.

Sterne’s style was greatly affected by his studies and travels. He admired Cezanne’s structural sense, Piero della Francesca’s modeling, Whistler’s use of color, and the classic use of line and composition. During his travels to the Orient, he adopted a somewhat flattened and faceted modern idiom, owing much to Gauguin’s Balinese works.

Sterne later moved to Taos, New Mexico, where he painted landscapes of the American Southwest. Towards the end of his life, Sterne declared “Here in America, our great contribution to art is in our response to the moment. I try to do in painting what is quick and spontaneous – what happened.

Sterne was the first American artist to have a one man show at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1933. His work is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Tate Museum, London; and numerous other museums. He exhibited at the National Academy of Design from 1900-50 and won prizes at these expositions. He also taught at the California School of Fine Art 1935-36 and Art Students League in NYC.

Sterne's style changed dramatically in 1945 after an illness. His paintings then became more freely and richly colored often spontaneous marine and ocean scenes.