Davis, Stuart

(born Dec. 7, 1894, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.—died June 24, 1964, New York, N.Y.) U.S. abstract painter. His father was a graphic artist who encouraged his interest in art. He studied in New York City with Robert Henri (1909–12), made drawings for the periodical The Masses, associated with the Ash Can school, and exhibited in the Armory Show. A visit to Paris in 1928–29 inspired his own version of Cubism; he began rearranging natural forms from everyday life into flat posterlike patterns with sharp outlines and contrasting colours—the dissonant colours and repetitive rhythms reflecting his interest in jazz—in a style that eventually led to totally abstract patterns. He is considered the outstanding U.S. artist who worked in the Cubist style.

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