# Arshile Gorky

> Armenian-American painter (1904–1948)

**Wikidata**: [Q165648](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165648)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arshile_Gorky)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/arshile-gorky

## Summary
Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-American painter who lived from 1904 to 1948. He is recognized as a significant figure in the art world, known for his work as an artist who practiced painting, sculpture, and design.

## Biography
- **Born:** 1904
- **Nationality:** Armenian-American
- **Known for:** Painting, sculpture, and design
- **Field(s):** Painting, Portrait painting, Abstract art, Still life
- **Affiliations:** National Academy of Design

## Contributions
Arshile Gorky contributed to the visual arts through his work as a painter and sculptor. His artistic output included engagement with several genres and movements, specifically portrait painting, still life, and abstract art. He was affiliated with the National Academy of Design, an honorary association of American artists located in New York.

## FAQs
**What were the primary artistic fields of Arshile Gorky?**
Arshile Gorky worked in the fields of painting, portrait painting, still life, and abstract art. He also worked as a sculptor, designer, and architectural draftsperson.

**What names did Arshile Gorky use?**
He used multiple aliases throughout his life, including Vosdanig Manoog Adoian, Ostanik-Manuk Adoian, Wostanig Adoyan, and Arshil Gorki, among others.

**Who are key figures connected to Arshile Gorky?**
Key figures related to Gorky include Ethel Schwabacher, an American artist, and Gene Davis, an American painter.

## Why They Matter
Arshile Gorky matters as a creative figure who bridged various artistic disciplines, working not only as a painter but also as a sculptor, designer, and architectural draftsperson. His engagement with abstract art marked him as a participant in a significant modern movement that maintained a degree of independence from visual references in the world. His connection to institutions like the National Academy of Design and his association with peers like Ethel Schwabacher and Gene Davis place him within a specific lineage of American art history.

## Notable For
*   Being an Armenian-American painter (1904–1948).
*   Working across multiple disciplines: painter, sculptor, designer, and architectural draftsperson.
*   Affiliation with the National Academy of Design.
*   Creating works in the genres of portrait painting, self-portrait, still life, and abstract art.
*   Having multiple aliases including Vosdanig Manoog Adoian and Arshil Gorki.

## Body

### Identity and Background
Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-American painter born in 1904 and died in 1948. His identity is documented under numerous aliases, reflecting variations in translation and name changes throughout his life. These names include Ostanik-Manuk Adoian, Arshil Gorʹkiĭ, Arshile Gorky Adoian, Arshil Gorky, Osdanig-Manug Atoyan, Arshil Gorki Adoyan, Wostanig Adoyan, Vosdanig Manoog Adoian, Ostanik-Manuk Adoyan, and Arshil Gorki.

### Artistic Career and Roles
Gorky's professional life was defined by his versatility in the arts. While primarily known as a painter, he also worked as a sculptor, a designer, and an architectural draftsperson. His work as a painter encompassed the practice of applying paint, pigment, color, or other medium to a surface.

### Genres and Styles
His artistic output spanned several distinct genres. He engaged in **portrait painting**, creating artistic representations of persons, and **still life**, focusing on inanimate objects. He also produced **self-portraits**, representing himself in his own work. A significant portion of his work is associated with **abstract art**, a genre characterized by a degree of independence from visual references in the world.

### Affiliations and Network
Gorky was affiliated with the **National Academy of Design**, a tripartite institution consisting of an honorary association of American artists, a museum, and a school of fine arts founded in 1826. His network included connections to **Ethel Schwabacher**, an American artist (1903–1984), and **Gene Davis**, an American painter (1920–1985).

### Historical and Geographical Context
Gorky's life spanned several geopolitical entities. He is identified as Armenian-American, connecting him to the **United States**, a country located primarily in North America (inception 1776), and the **First Republic of Armenia**, an Armenian state existing from 1918 to 1920. The historical context of his origin is linked to the **Ottoman Empire**, a multiethnic empire with monarchs from the Ottoman dynasty (1299–1922).

## References

1. The Fine Art Archive
2. Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia
3. Who is Who: Armenians
4. Union List of Artist Names
5. BnF authorities
6. Museum of Modern Art online collection
7. Source
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9. [Source](http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/action-painters)
10. [Source](https://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/337.html)
11. Smithsonian American Art Museum person/institution ID
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22. Gorky, Arshile
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27. Roglo
28. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
29. [Source](http://www.getty.edu/vow/ULANFullDisplay?find=Arshile+Gorky&role=&nation=&prev_page=1&subjectid=500021392)
30. [Source](https://www.documenta.de/en/retrospective/ii_documenta)
31. [Source](https://www.documenta.de/en/retrospective/documenta_iii)
32. [Source](https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/)
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38. LIBRIS. 2012
39. DACS register
40. [Source](https://pacscl.exlibrisgroup.com:48994/F/?func=find-b&request=000135816&find_code=SYS)
41. [Source](https://library.si.edu/art-and-artist-files)
42. [Source](https://lib.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=86262&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20Arshile%20Gorky)
43. [Source](https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/1cl1g8d/alma99757753504896)