Charles Henry Buckius Demuth (1883–1935)
120 East King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
717-299-9940
ABOUT
A master watercolorist and pioneer of the Precisionist style, Charles Demuth (1883–1935) was an American Modern artist, member of the early-20th century LGBTQ+ avant-garde, and a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
We invite you to celebrate the art of Charles Demuth and regional artists through the museum’s inspiring collections, as well as contemporary exhibitions and programs that foster creativity and appreciation of art and artists.
SPECIAL RESOURCES
“Paintings must be looked at and looked at. They, I think the good ones, like it. “Look at that!” is all that can be said before a great painting—at least by those who really see it.”
— Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth (1883–1935)
Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Charles Demuth moved with his family to the 18th century brick row home on East King Street at the age of 6. In his home and studio, Demuth created over 1,000 artworks, many of which were inspired by the people, places, and things he encountered in his hometown.
Demuth traveled extensively and his art was energized by his experiences. As an artist and a gay man in the early 20th century, Demuth’s social and professional circles included that of the avant-garde art and queer communities.
Demuth’s creativity abounded in various forms and he became a master watercolorist. However, some of his most significant contributions to art history were painted in other mediums. These include Precisionist paintings, adapted from Cubism principles, and Poster Portraits layered with symbolism.
Charles Demuth’s legacy as a pioneer in American Modernism continues to captivate and inspire today.
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Born in Lancaster, PA in 1883, Charles Demuth moved to his King Street home in 1889 as his father began to manage the nearby Demuth Tobacco Shop. The only child of Ferdinand and Augusta Demuth, Charles developed a hip infirmity around the age of 4, requiring a treatment of extensive bed rest. To keep him occupied at this time, he was given watercolors and drawing books, leading to art lessons throughout his childhood and eventually a formal education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
As a young man, Demuth traveled to Paris and became part of the avant garde and modern art scene, and later a pioneer of Precisionism and a master watercolorist. He frequently traveled to New York and became a member of Alfred Stieglitz’s circle during the early modernist movement, befriending artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Marsden Hartley, and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Although he studied and painted in Philadelphia, New York, Provincetown, Paris, and Bermuda, Demuth created most of his finished artworks in his Lancaster home where he worked in a second floor studio overlooking the garden. The garden was tended by his mother Augusta and was the source of inspiration for many of Demuth’s watercolor paintings, such as Pink Tulips and Daisies. Many of his most famous works, including My Egypt, were created in his Precisionist style, featuring emphasis of lines, planes and geometric forms often in representation of early 20th century buildings and structures. These Precisionist works were inspired by the architecture and landscape of the city of Lancaster and were completed in his home studio.
Though Demuth experienced illness for much of his life, he completed more than 1000 works before he passed away in 1935 due to complications from diabetes. The Demuth Museum of Art currently has more than 60 of these works in its permanent collection, primarily watercolors and works on paper, that are rotated on view. In addition to a permanent collection gallery and the artist’s studio, the museum features special exhibitions of local art, student works, and items from the Demuth Museum of Art and Demuth Tobacco Shop archives. The Demuth Museum of Art offers a unique experience of Demuth’s artistic life and groundbreaking works through its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs that explore Demuth’s legacy.
