Morgan Russell, along with STANTON MACDONALD-WRIGHT, created synchromism, the first abstract color theory developed by Americans. After studying architecture, Russell attended classes at the Art Students League taught by George Bridgman (1864-1943) and James Earle Fraser (1876-1953). He also studied with ROBERT HENRI. In 1906 Russell took his second trip to France, where he would live for long periods; through Gertrude, Leo, and Sarah Stein he met Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and also Henri Matisse (1869-1954), with whom he studied briefly. In 1911 he met Macdonald-Wright, who was also studying in Paris. During the next two years they formulated the theory of synchromism based on their fascination with color theory, abstraction, and sculpture. Of the two artists Russell was the more daring, fully abandoning representation by 1913. In 1913 and 1914 the two Americans established an international reputation through their joint exhibitions in Munich, Paris, and New York. By 1916 Russell had tired of painting color synchromies. After briefly visiting New York to see his entries in the Forum Exhibition of Modern American Painters at the Anderson Galleries, he settled in southern France in 1917 and returned to representational art, painting landscapes, still lifes, and the figure.
During the 1920s Russell planned to construct a kinetic light machine, but the project was never realized; instead, in 1922 he again began painting synchromies in order to satisfy his fascination with color and light. His financial straits were relieved somewhat by occasional sales made for him by Macdonald-Wright in California. Russell spent almost a year in California in 1931-32, a busy time during which he exhibited in San Francisco and Los Angeles with Macdonald-Wright and taught and lectured at various schools. While living in Rome from 1932 to 1936 he painted religious subjects. In 1946 Russell returned permanently to the United States, settled in Pennsylvania, and converted to Roman Catholicism.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montclair (NJ.) Art Museum, Morgan Russell Papers § Janet Funston, "Morgan Russell and the Origins of Synchromism" Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego, Annual Report 50 (1974/75): 8-13 § Gail Levin, "Morgan Russell: The Avant-garde Dilemma" in LACMA, California: Five Footnotes to Modern Art History, exh. cat., 1977, ed. Stephanie Barron, pp. 13-20, with chronology § New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, and others, Synchromism and American Color Abstraction, 1910-1925, exh. cat., 1978 (copublished with George Braziller, New York), text by Gail Levin, with reprints of synchromist catalogues, biographical notes, bibliography § New York, Washburn Gallery, Morgan Russell, exh. cat., 1978, with essay by Barbara Rose.
