• Biography
  • Exhibitions
  • Drawing
  • Painting (1929-47)
  • Construction (1932-45)
  • Sculpture (1945-69)
  • Public Commission (1955-78)
  • Photogram (1932-41)
  • Lithography
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
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Theodore Roszak

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(1907-1981) First generation New York abstract expressionist artist

sculptor, painter, draughtsman

Theodore Roszak

  • Biography
  • Exhibitions
  • Drawing
  • Painting (1929-47)
  • Construction (1932-45)
  • Sculpture (1945-69)
  • Public Commission (1955-78)
  • Photogram (1932-41)
  • Lithography
  • Bibliography
  • Contact

Self-Portrait, 1934-38

Gelatin silver print

2 x 2 9/16 inches

Collection: Chazen Museum of Art. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Amanda Berls Fund, Charles R. Crane Fund, Miss Charlotte C. Gregory Fund, Mary Woodard Lasker, in honor of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Woodard Fund, William R. Mitchell Endowment Fund, Dr. and Mrs. Leon Rostker Fund, Harry Steenbock Fund, and Richard E. Stockwell Endowment Fund purchase (1994).

1934-38_Self_Portrait_Photogram_Chazen_1999_4.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-1.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Unique photogram

9 15/16 x 8 inches (25.24 x 20.32 cm)

Collection: Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum. Cambridge, MA. Richard and Ronay Menschel Fund for the Acquisition of Photographs (2008). 

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Harvard_2008.jpg

Untitled, 1932-39

 gelatin silver print, photogram  5 7/16 x 4 1/4 inches (13.90 x 10.90 cm)   Collection:  The Cleveland Museum of Art , Ohio. John L. Severance Fund (1989).

gelatin silver print, photogram

5 7/16 x 4 1/4 inches (13.90 x 10.90 cm) 

Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio. John L. Severance Fund (1989).

Untitled, 1937-39

Gelatin silver print (photogram)

3.25 x 4.25 inches (8.26 x 10.8 cm)

Collection: Carnegie Museum of Art. Gift of Virginia Zabriskie (1984).

1937-39_Untitled_Photogram_Carnegie.jpg

Photogram, 1939

Photography, bromine on paper

4.25 x 3.22 in (10.8 x 8.2 cm)

Collection: National Museum Warsaw, Poland. 

1930_Photogram_Warsaw.jpg

Photogram 1937-41

Gelatin silver print

8 x 5 inches

Collection: Chazen Museum of Art. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Amanda Berls Fund, Charles R. Crane Fund, Miss Charlotte C. Gregory Fund, Mary Woodard Lasker, in honor of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Woodard Fund, William R. Mitchell Endowment Fund, Dr. and Mrs. Leon Rostker Fund, Harry Steenbock Fund, and Richard E. Stockwell Endowment Fund purchase (1999).

1937-41_Photogram_Chazen_1999_3.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Gelatin Silver Print

9 7/8 x 7 15/16 in (25.1 x 20.2 cm)

Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA. Gift of Virginia Zabriskie (1999).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_170-2_Philadelphia.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

gelatin silver print

9 15/16 x 8 inches (25.24 cm x 20.32 cm)

Collection: Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, New Hampshire. The Henry Melville Fuller Acquisition Fund (2009).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Currier_2009.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Gelatin silver print

sheet: 8.2 x 10.8 cm (3 1/4 x 4 1/4 in.)

Collection: Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum. Cambridge, MA. Gift of Virginia Zabriskie (2000).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Harvard_2000.jpg

Untitled, 1930-40

Gelatin Silver Print, Photogram

9 7/8 x 7 3/4 inches (25.1 x 19.7 cm) 

Collection: Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri. Museum Shop Fund (1984).

 

1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_SLAM_21984.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

gelatin silver print (photogram)

9 15/16 x 8 inches (25.24 x 20.32 cm)

Collection: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California. Purchased (1984).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_84.61.jpg

Photogram, 1934

photogram, gelatin silver print on gelatin silver paper

9 5/8 in. x 7 13/16 in. (24.45 cm x 19.84 cm)

Collection: Addison Gallery of American Art. Andover, New Hampshire. Museum purchase (1989).

1934_Photogram_Addison_NH.jpg

Untitled, 1930-40

Photograph, photogram, gelatin silver print 

9 15/16 x 8 inches (25.3 x 20.3 cm) 

Collection: Museum of Fine Arts Boston, MA. Sophie M. Friedman Fund (1984).

1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_MFA_Boston.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Gelatin silver print, photogram

Collection: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX. Museum purchase funded by Louisa Stude Sarofim (1985).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Houston.jpg

Untitled, 1930-40

Gelatin silver print, Photogram

9 15/16 x 7 15/16 inches (25.3 x 20.2 cm) 

Collection: Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri. Museum Shop Fund (1984).

 

1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_SLAM_31984.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-7.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

gelatin silver print
9 15/16 x 7 15/16 inches (25.2 x 20.2 cm) 

Collection: Worcester Art Museum, MA. Richard A. Heald Fund (1994)

1937-39_Photogram_WAM.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-2.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-3.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-5.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-20.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

gelatin silver print (photogram)

Collection: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California. Purchased (1984).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_84.62.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

gelatin silver print (photogram)

Collection: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California. Fund of the 80s purchase (1984).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_84.159.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-6.jpg

Photogram 1937-41

Gelatin silver print

9 5/8 X 7 5/8 in.

Collection: Chazen Museum of Art. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Amanda Berls Fund, Charles R. Crane Fund, Miss Charlotte C. Gregory Fund, Mary Woodard Lasker, in honor of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Woodard Fund, William R. Mitchell Endowment Fund, Dr. and Mrs. Leon Rostker Fund, Harry Steenbock Fund, and Richard E. Stockwell Endowment Fund purchase (1999).

1937-41_Photogram_Chazen_1999_2.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-4.jpg

Untitled, 1930-40

Gelatin Silver Print, Photogram

9 13/16 x 7 15/16 inches (25 x 20.1 cm) 

Collection: Saint Louis Museum of Art, Missouri. Museum Shop Fund (1984).

1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_SLAM_11984.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-8.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

8 7/16 x 4 1/2 in

Location: New Jersey State Museum, NJ. Museum Purchase (1984).

1937-39_Photogram-9.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 3/16 x 3 3/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-10.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 3/16 x 3 3/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-11.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 3/16 x 3 3/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-12.jpg

Untitled, 1937

Gelatin Silver Print

4.25 X 3.25 inches

Collection: Newark Museum, New Jersey. Gift of Virginia M. Zabriskie (1989) 

1937_Untitled_Photogram_Newark.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 3/16 x 3 3/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-13.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Gelatin silver print

4 13/16 x 3 7/8 inches (12.2 x 9.9 cm)

Collection: Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum. Cambridge, MA. Richard Norton Memorial Fund (1995). 

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Harvard_1995.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 6/8 x 3 6/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-14.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 6/8 x 3 6/8 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-15.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 5/8 x 3 7/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-16.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 5/8 x 3 7/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-17.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

5 x 4 in

Location: New Jersey State Museum, NJ. Museum Purchase (1984).

1937-39_Photogram-18.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

Gelatin Silverprint

4 7/8 x 3 15/16 in

Location: Unknown

1937-39_Photogram-19.jpg

Untitled (Photogram), 1937-41

Photogram

3-1/2 x 4-5/8 inches (8.9 x 11.8 cm)

Collection: Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts Stanford University, California. Gift of Sara Jane Roszak (2004).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Stanford.jpg

Photogram, 1937-39

 Gelatin Silver Print  4 15/16 x 3 7/8 inches (12.5 x 9.8 cm)  Collection:  Whitney Museum of American Art , NY. Gift of Virginia M. Zabriskie (1991).   

Gelatin Silver Print

4 15/16 x 3 7/8 inches (12.5 x 9.8 cm)

Collection: Whitney Museum of American Art, NY. Gift of Virginia M. Zabriskie (1991).

 

Untitled Photogram, 1939

gelatin silver print
4 15/16 x 3 15/16 inches (12.541 x 10.001 cm)
 

Collection: Sheldon Museum of Art, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Gift of Don Brock, Phillip C. Johnson, and anonymous donor by exchange 

R. Roszak, Untitled.jpg

Photogram (Abstract Ball), 1937-41

Gelatin Silver Print

4 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches (121 x 95 mm)

Collection: Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco de Young Legion of Honor, CA. Gift of David Davies and Jack Weeden (2011).

1937-41_Photogram_Abstract_Ball_deYoung_SF.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Gelatin Silver Print

4 11/16 x 3 15/16 in (11.9 x 10 cm)

Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA. Purchased with the Alice Newton Osborn Fund (1985). 

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Philadelphia-11-1.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

Gelatin Silver Print

4 1/4 x 3 3/16 in (10.8 x 8.1 cm)

Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA. Gift of Virginia Zabriskie (1999). 

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Philadelphia-170-1.jpg

Untitled, 1937-41

gelatin silver print (photogram)

Collection: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California. Gift of Mrs. Virginia M. Zabriskie (1983).

1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_83.386.jpg
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Back to Photogram (1932-41)
1934-38_Self_Portrait_Photogram_Chazen_1999_4_thumb.jpg
1
Self-Portrait, 1934-38
1937-39_Photogram-1_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Harvard_2008_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1
Untitled, 1932-39
1937-39_Untitled_Photogram_Carnegie.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-39
1930_Photogram_Warsaw_web.jpg
1
Photogram, 1939
1937-41_Photogram_Chazen_1999_3_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_170-2_Philadelphia_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Currier_2009_thumb.jpg
2
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Harvard_2000_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_SLAM_21984_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1930-40
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_84.61_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1934_Photogram_Addison_NH_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1934
1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_MFA_Boston_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1930-40
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Houston_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_SLAM_31984_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1930-40
1937-39_Photogram-7_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram_WAM_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-2_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-3_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-5_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-20_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_84_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_84_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-39_Photogram-6_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-41_Photogram_Chazen_1999_2_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram 1937-41
1937-39_Photogram-4_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1930-40_Untitled_Photogram_SLAM_11984_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1930-40
1937-39_Photogram-8_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-9_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-10_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-11_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-12_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937_Untitled_Photogram_Newark.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937
1937-39_Photogram-13_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Harvard_1995_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-39_Photogram-14_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-15_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-16_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-17_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-18_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-39_Photogram-19_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Stanford_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled (Photogram), 1937-41
1937-39_Photogram_Whitney.jpg
1
Photogram, 1937-39
1939_Untitled_Photogram_Sheldon_Nebraska.jpg
1
Untitled Photogram, 1939
1937-41_Photogram_Abstract_Ball_deYoung_SF_thumb.jpg
1
Photogram (Abstract Ball), 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Philadelphia-11-1_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_Philadelphia-170-1_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41
1937-41_Untitled_Photogram_SFMOMA_83.386_thumb.jpg
1
Untitled, 1937-41

When Roszak was in Munich and Prague in the early 1930s, he was exposed to books and exhibitions of experimental photography  such as Moholy-Nagy's Malerei Photographie Film (1925). Roszak met Moholy-Nagy in New York in the late 1930s when he was teaching at the Design Laboratory, a WPA sponsored School of industrial arts. During this time frame of the late 30s, Roszak was simultaneously experimenting with the photogram technique and incorporating elements of the constructions that were preoccupying him at the time.

Only after Roszak’s death did knowledge of a small but important group of photograms created by the sculptor in the 1930s become widespread. He created these unique prints without the aid of a camera- there are no negatives. He instead placed objects directly onto photographic paper and exposed them to light. Using this technique he was able to achieve a remarkable tonal range, from velvety black to right white. Other than wire mesh and sheets of torn paper, the individual objects integrated into this compelling, ambiguous work are difficult to identify. The composition and mood of the photographs, with their emphasis on geometry and abstraction, are similar to Roszak’s constructions of this period. [The Cleveland Art Museum statement]

 

Public Collection:

Addison Gallery of American Art, New Hampshire

Carnegie Museum of Art, Philadelphia

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio

Chazen Museum of Art, University of Madison-Wisconsin

Currier Museum of Art, New Hampshire

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco de Young Legion of Honor, California

Harvard Art Museums/ Fogg Museum, Massachusetts

High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA

Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts Stanford University, California

Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana

Museum of Modern Art, NY

National Museum Warsaw, Poland

New Jersey State Museum , NJ

Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri

Sheldon Museum of Art, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

Newark Museum, New Jersey

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

Worcester Art Museum, MA

 

 

 

Unless specified all images

© Estate of Theodore Roszak / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY.