Stuart Davis
at the Museum of
Modern Art

“In my own case I have enjoyed the dynamic American scene for many years, and all my pictures (including the ones I painted in Paris) are referential to it. They all have their originating impulse in the impact of [the]contemporary American environment. Some of the things that have made me want to paint , outside the other paintings, are: American wood and iron work of the past, the brilliant colors of gasoline stations, chain-store fronts, and taxicabs. ..In one way or another the quality of these things plays a role in determining the character of my painting…”