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e.e. cummings Self-Portrait

National Portrait Gallery

Object Details

Artist
Edward Estlin Cummings, 14 Oct 1894 - 2 Sep 1962
Sitter
Edward Estlin Cummings, 14 Oct 1894 - 2 Sep 1962
Exhibition Label
Born Cambridge, Massachusetts
Poet E. E. Cummings, who famously avoided uppercase letters in his writings, declared that “poetry and every other art was and is and forever will be strictly and distinctly a question of individuality.” Believing that poetry was visual as well as verbal, Cummings defied rules of punctuation, capitalization, and arrangement of words on the page in his poems of the 1920s and 1930s, offering a new literary experience for Americans. For some, he demonstrated the rich possibilities for self-expression; others he left feeling uncomfortable and annoyed. In either case, his radicalism made an indelible mark on twentieth-century letters and, in the words of one critic, extended “the capabilities of poetry” well beyond its traditional limits. As this self-portrait indicates, Cummings was also a competent painter. After serving in World War I, he studied painting in Paris and exhibited his work in New York.
Nacido en Cambridge, Massachusetts
El poeta E. E. Cummings, famoso por evitar las mayúsculas en sus escritos, declaró que “la poesía y todas las demás artes son, y por siempre serán, estricta y específicamente, cuestión de individualidad”. Convencido de que la poesía era visual tanto como verbal, Cummings desafió las reglas de puntuación, mayúsculas y ubicación de las palabras en la página con sus escritos en las décadas de 1920 y 1930, ofreciendo una nueva experiencia literaria a los estadounidenses. Según algunos, con esto demostró las vastas posibilidades de la expresión personal; para otros fue causa de confusión y molestia. En ambos casos, su radicalismo dejó una marca indeleble en las letras del siglo XX y, en palabras de un crítico, extendió “el potencial de la poesía” mucho más allá de sus límites tradicionales. Como lo indica este autorretrato, Cummings también fue un pintor competente. Después de servir en la Primera Guerra Mundial, estudió pintura en París y expuso su obra en Nueva York.
Provenance
(Gotham Book Mart and Gallery, Inc., New York); purchased 1973 NPG
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
1958
Object number
NPG.73.26
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© Estate of e. e. cummings
Type
Painting
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Stretcher: 50.8 x 38.1 x 2.5cm (20 x 15 x 1")
Frame: 67.9 x 55.2 x 6.4cm (26 3/4 x 21 3/4 x 2 1/2")
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition
20th Century Americans: 1900-1930 (re-installation 2012)
On View
NPG, South Gallery 322
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Interior
Container\Vase
Art implements\Paintbrush
Nature & Environment\Plant\Flower\Rose
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Cap\Beret
Self-portrait
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie
Edward Estlin Cummings: Arts and Culture\Visual Arts\Artist
Edward Estlin Cummings: Male
Edward Estlin Cummings: Arts and Culture\Literature\Writer\Poet
Portrait
Record ID
npg_NPG.73.26
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm47e0c6a4c-3afe-4a23-8e7c-77fb5c323a83

Related Content

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  • Twentieth Century Americans: 1900-1930

    Portrait Gallery
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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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