(1909-1977)
German-American painter, who was born in Austin, Texas and who lived in Chicago. She Studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the American Academy of Art. She loved jazz and her art was inspired by many jazz artists. She is called the “ the Queen the Bohemian Artists”. Her take on Surrealism is always charming and riveting.
Gertrude Abercrombie
Gertrude Abercrombie was a surrealist painter from Chicago, often dubbed “the queen of bohemian artists.” A passionate jazz enthusiast, she frequently socialized with jazz musicians. Her artwork drew from both realism and dreams, as she aimed to bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious mind in her creations.
Gertrude Abercrombie was born in Austin, Texas, on February 17, 1909. Her parents, who were traveling opera singers, made a stop in Austin, where she entered the world, although they did not reside there. In 1913, the family relocated to Berlin to support her mother’s singing career, but they returned to the United States at the war’s onset, settling in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.
Abercrombie earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign but gained formal art training only after enrolling in a figure drawing course at the Art Institute of Chicago. She furthered her artistic journey by studying commercial art at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, which led to her creating illustrations for department store ads.
By 1932, she dedicated herself entirely to art. She was married twice; her second husband, Frank Sandiford, was a music critic connected to the jazz scene and Dizzy Gillespie. Abercrombie occasionally hosted music gatherings at her home, where she played the piano alongside her musician friends.
In the late 1950s, her health began to deteriorate, and she grew increasingly reclusive. After her passing, her trust distributed her artwork to various art museums across the
Abercrombie drew inspiration from the surrealist movement that flourished in Europe. Her preferred subjects included landscapes, still lifes, and numerous self-portraits. In her self-portraits, she often depicted herself with witch-like traits and surrounded by magical symbols such as black cats or broomsticks. At times, her dreams would ignite her artistic creativity. She expressed a fondness for painting things that were “a bit odd.” The peak of her creative output occurred during the 1940s and 50s when her works often appeared minimal, conveying a sense of solitude and amplifying certain features dramatically. This distinctive style made her art easily recognizable, and her pieces continue to be displayed in museums across the globe.
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