Artwork
The Creation
The Creation is a print by Kálmán Kubinyi. It dates from 1927 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1927 by American modernist Kálmán Kubinyi, *The Creation* is a print that exemplifies his focus on industrial and urban themes. Though primarily known for etchings and engravings, this work employs a stark, graphic approach that aligns with his Social Realist perspective on the machine age.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a muscular, bare‑chested figure standing amid a rugged, rocky terrain. His crossed arms and steady gaze convey a calm yet resolute presence, suggesting a symbolic embodiment of human strength confronting the harshness of industrialized landscapes. Small red blossoms at his feet introduce a subtle note of vitality within the stark setting.
Technique & Style
Kubinyi renders the scene with decisive, heavy lines and deep tonal contrasts that isolate the central figure from a textured backdrop of trees, rocks, and uneven ground. The predominance of gray‑brown hues is punctuated by the vivid red of the flowers, while the overall effect recalls the chiaroscuro play of light and shadow, giving the print a carved‑like surface.
History & Provenance
The print emerged during Kubinyi’s active period with the Cleveland School, a regional movement that emphasized modernist interpretations of everyday labor and machinery. Though specific ownership records are limited, the work has been cited in surveys of early 20th‑century American printmaking as an illustration of the artist’s engagement with contemporary industrial realities.
Artist & collection
Artist
Kálmán Mátyás Béla Kubinyi (June 29, 1906 Cleveland – September 3, 1973 Stockbridge, Massachusetts) was an influential etcher, engraver and enamelist and a member of the so-called Cleveland School, a number of…
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