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themeareshownbythebreakingupofareasofdancingnotesofvibrantcolor,which
givesthesensationofinanimateobjectsplayingwitheachother,andformsanover-
allpatternofconstantlymovingsweepsofcolor....
"Ifeelthatpaintingshouldnotstopattheframeofthepicture.Thefourcorners
ofthecanvascompletethevisualsensation,butthesemovementscarryonindefi-
nitely;thetinysailboatmaystopforamoment,orthereflectionmaychange,butthe
constantfluttercarrieson."
SamuelBookatzwasborninPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania,in1910.Hiseducation
includesstudyattheJohnHuntingtonPolytechnicInstituteatCleveland,Ohio,from
1928 to1931;Cleveland(Ohio)InstituteofArtonafour-yearscholarship, 1931 to
1935;SchooloftheMuseumofFineArtsinBostononatwo-yearscholarship, 1935
to1937;AcademicdelaGrandeChauiniereandAcademieColarossiinParis, 1938
to1939;andthe.-XmericanAcademyinRomein1938.
PrizesandawardsincludeaspecialtravelingawardfromtheClevelandInstitute
ofArt;ascholarshipgrantedbytheMuseumofFineArtsinBostonin 1937 fortwo
yearsstudyabroad;HonorableMentioninthePrixdeRomecompetitionin1937;
severalprizesinexhibitionsattheCleveland(Ohio) MuseumofArtandatthe
CorcoranGalleryofArtinWashington,D.C.,includingFirstPrizeinOilsatthe
latterin1947;FirstPrizeinanexhibitoftheLandscapeClubofWashington,D.C.,
alsoin1947;aprizeattheSocietyofWashington(D.C.)Artistsin1948;andFourth
PrizeintheHallmarkinternationalcompetitionof 1949.Bookatz'sworkhasbeen
seencontinuouslyattheCleveland(Ohio)MuseumofArtfrom 1930 to 1946 aswell
asinnationalshows,andhehadaone-manshowinParisin1938.Another,byinvi-
tation,washeldattheCorcoranGalleryofArtin1948,andathirdattheNational
Gallery(SmithsonianInstitution)inWashington,D.C,in1950.
BookatzhasalsodonemuralsforNavyhospitalsinPhiladelphia;Washington,
D.C;Norfolk,Virginia;andBethesda,Maryland.Atpresent,asacommanderinthe
UnitedStatesNavalReserve,heisanartistfortheNavyattheNationalNaval
MedicalCenteratBethesda,Maryland.Hisworkformspartofthecollectionsof
theCorcoranGalleryofArt,PhillipsMemorialGallery,NationalGallery (Smith-
.sonianInstitution),andBarnetAdenGallery,allinWashington,D.C,andinprivate
collectionsinvariouspartsofthecountry.WorkbyBookatzisalsolocatedinthe
SurgeonGeneral'sOfficeintheWhiteHouseandTheUnitedStatesBureauofMedi-
cineandSurgery,Washington,D.C,andintheUnitedStatesHospitalCorpsSchool
atPortsmouth,Virginia.HispermanentresidenceisinWashington,D.C.
BOTKIN,HenryA.,NewMoon, 26 x32.
InDecemberof 1951 HenryBotkinwrites,"Thedevelopmentandgrowthofmy
recentworkhasresultedinastrongerconceptofnewartforms.Whilemyworknow
maybeconsideredabstract,Iammoreconcernedinachievingnewartisticfacts.This
Ihopewillresultinanewkindofpictorialorderandrealism.Idonotintendto
getlostinaformofabstractioninwhichIhavenotfoundmeaning.NeitheramI
occupiedwith...literarythemesof'cosmicsignificance.'Iaminsteadtryingto
achieveanewartisticsynthesiswhichwillalwayspossessalinkwithreality.Inmod-
ernpaintingIfindanartistisadiscoverer.Heisconstantlyinpursuitofnew
horizonsandissolvingnewproblems.Hemustrejecttheconventionalandexploit
themysteriousandunusual.Hemustneverdryup;hisresearchmustgodeeperand
hemusteverbealertin[the]questforknowledge.
"ThepaintingNewMoon,producedafewyearsago,isoneofaseriesdepi<tiiiga