Art, Word And Image: Stuart Davis & Jacques Villegle

Currently, I'm reading a book called ‘Art, Word and Image – Two Thousand Years of Visual/Textual Interraction’ by John Dixon Hunt, David Lomas and Michael Corris. [1.]  It’s an interesting chronological overview of the subject in three sections, each featuring an historical survey by one of the three named authors and subsidiary essays by various other writers.  The first spans a massive period from the earliest civilisations to 1900, in a selective skim over the centuries.  However, the second section - devoted to early 20^th Century Modernism, and the third – covering the post war to present day period, are more satisfying.

 Amongst the artists discussed, are two that I’ve been aware of for ages without studying in any depth – namely Stuart Davis and Jacques Villegle.  Lots of artists hover in the background of my knowledge like that until something intensifies my curiosity.  As both of these have produced work that could be related to aspects of my own I should get my finger out and explore it in more depth.  Meanwhile, here's an opportunity to show examples of their stuff and offer my, (admittedly superficial), first impressions.

Stuart Davis, 'The Mellow Pad', Oil on Canvas, 1941-51

Jacques Villegle, '50, Rue Turbigo, 10 Jan',  Torn Paper Posters, 1977

Initially, one might dismiss Stuart Davis’s work for resembling a rather facile style of funky graphics typical of jazz-funk or ska-pop records from the early 1980s.  However, their dates reveal Davis as a much earlier, forward thinking link between European cubism, (Juan Gris and Fernand Leger for instance) and American Pop Art.  That Davis was active on the political Left suggests these images may be more than just a cheerful hurrah for the pop culture of post-war America.

Fernand Leger, 'The City', Oil on Canvas, 1919

Juan Gris 'Violin and Playing Cards', 
Oil on Canvas, 1913

Stuart Davis, 'Percolator', Oil on Canvas, 1927

Stuart Davis, 'Owh! in San Pao', Oil on Canvas, 1951

Stuart Davis, 'Visa', Oil on Canvas, 1951

Stuart Davis, 'Rapt at Rappaport's', Oil on Canvas, 1952

Stuart Davis, 'Something on the Eight Ball', Oil on Canvas, 1953-54

Jacques Villegle fits into the context of the post-war European Avant-garde and would appear to be an important figure within the tradition of collage.  An interest in commercial posters isn’t so radical today but Villegle’s use of actual torn posters as raw materials dates back to the late 1940s.  These pieces are both from the street and of the street and would seem to point toward the Situationists and beyond to more recent critical responses to modern consumer society.  

Jacques Villegle, 'Blue O Noir',  Torn Paper Posters, 1955

Jacques Villegle, 'Jazzmen',  Torn Paper Posters, 1961

Jacques Villegle, 'Boulevard Bourdon 11 January',Torn Paper Posters, 1965

Jacques Villegle, '122 Rue Du Temple',  Torn Paper Posters, 1968

Jacques Villegle, 'Clermont Ferrand',Torn Paper Posters, 2000

One other thing about these paintings, - they’re all rather beautiful, (for those of us who still care about that kind of thing).

[1.]:  John Dixon Hunt, David Lomas & Michael Corris, ‘Art, Word and Image – Two Thousand Years of Visual/Textual Interraction’, London, Reaktion Books Ltd., 2010