Gertrude Abercrombie
Who is Gertrude Abercrombie?
Gertrude Abercrombie was a surrealist painter known for small, haunting, psychologically charged scenes.
Every time I encounter a Gertrude Abercrombie painting online, I stop and think about it.
Her work is always mysterious. I like her desolate world of lonely people, cats, and somber thoughts.
The sparse landscapes almost always contain heavy hitting psychological investigations. I’m not sure what she is investigating, its fun to ponder.
What inspires me with her work is how well Abercrombie sets up a small story. Each work has something in it that is happening and its often unclear exactly what that is, so you sit and try to figure it out, only you cant, so you think some more… Abercrombie creates engaging thought exercises.
Black Cat on Pink 1952
How can you not love a tiny little painting like this?
Cliff’s Verdict:
I don’t think Abercrombie is a ‘great’ artist.
In my opinion, a large part of being an ‘artist’ is communicating with other artists. You look at what others have done and grow by being inspired by what someone else has produced.
I think Abercrombie did her thing and created a world for herself while not being fully aware of or interested in the art world of her time. What she did is good, but its an internal world.