Katherine Sophie Dreier
Encyclopedia
Katherine Sophie Dreier was an artist and a patron of the arts. Her paintings were abstract with spiritual emphasis, and she was a member of the Abstraction-Création
group.
, and then studied with Walter Shirlaw
with her sister, Dorothea. In 1917 she was a director, and perhaps co-founder, of the Art Center in New York City with William Laurel Harris
.
, she met Marcel Duchamp
. In January 1920, Dreier, Duchamp, and Man Ray
founded the Société Anonyme
in Dreier's Manhattan
apartment. Dreier was also friend and patron to the German multimedia artist Kurt Schwitters
.
Dreier planned to convert her house in West Redding, Connecticut
into a museum to house the Société Anonyme's collection of artwork, in addition to her private collection. She contacted Yale University
about managing the museum, and Yale suggested that the collection be merged with the Yale University Art Gallery
. She sent the Societe Anonyme's collection to New Haven, Connecticut
in October 1941. In 1942, she was still attempting to have her house in Redding, Connecticut become a museum for her private collection. Without any financial backing, she decided to sell the house.
In April 1946, she moved to a new home in Milford, Connecticut
and continued to add artwork to the collection at Yale. In 1947, she attempted to reopen membership to the Societe Anonyme and printed a brochure, but Yale blocked distribution of the brochure because its name appeared on it. In 1948, Dreier and Duchamp created a catalog of the collection.
Abstraction-Création
Abstraction-Création was a loose association of artists formed in Paris in 1931 to counteract the influence of the Surrealist group led by André Breton....
group.
Birth
She was born in Brooklyn, New York to Dorothea Adelheid and Theodor Dreier. Dorothea and Theodor had emigrated from Bremen, Germany. Katherine was the youngest of their five children, her older sister was the painter Dorothea Dreier.The Arts and Education
She was treasurer of the German Home for Recreation of Women and Children and was one of the founding members of the Little Italy Neighborhood Association in Brooklyn, New York. She studied at the Brooklyn Art School and at the Pratt InstitutePratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
, and then studied with Walter Shirlaw
Walter Shirlaw
Walter Shirlaw was a Scottish-American artist.-Biography:Shirlaw was born in Paisley, Scotland, and moved to the United States with his parents in 1840. He worked as a bank-note engraver, and his work was first exhibited at the National Academy in 1861.He was elected an academician of the Chicago...
with her sister, Dorothea. In 1917 she was a director, and perhaps co-founder, of the Art Center in New York City with William Laurel Harris
William Laurel Harris
William Laurel Harris was an American muralist, educator, editor and arts organizer.Harris was member Municipal Art Society , the Architectural League of New York , The National Mural Painters Society, and The Fine Arts Federation; he also founded the Art Centre with Katherine...
.
Société Anonyme
Between 1907 and 1914, Katherine spent time abroad studying art, and exhibiting her work. In 1916 in New York City, while working for the Society of Independent ArtistsSociety of Independent Artists
Society of Independent Artists was an association of American artists founded in 1916 and based in New York.Based on the French Société des Artistes Indépendants, the goal of the society was to hold annual exhibitions by avant-garde artists. Exhibitions were to be open to anyone who wanted to...
, she met Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. Considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Duchamp's output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art...
. In January 1920, Dreier, Duchamp, and Man Ray
Man Ray
Man Ray , born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal...
founded the Société Anonyme
Société Anonyme (art)
Société Anonyme, Inc. was an art organization founded in 1920 by Katherine Dreier, Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp. The society sponsored lectures, concerts, publications, and exhibitions of modern art, including the International Exhibition of Modern Art at the Brooklyn Museum in 1926...
in Dreier's Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
apartment. Dreier was also friend and patron to the German multimedia artist Kurt Schwitters
Kurt Schwitters
Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters was a German painter who was born in Hanover, Germany. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dada, Constructivism, Surrealism, poetry, sound, painting, sculpture, graphic design, typography and what came to be known as...
.
Dreier planned to convert her house in West Redding, Connecticut
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
into a museum to house the Société Anonyme's collection of artwork, in addition to her private collection. She contacted Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
about managing the museum, and Yale suggested that the collection be merged with the Yale University Art Gallery
Yale University Art Gallery
The Yale University Art Gallery houses a significant and encyclopedic collection of art in several buildings on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Although it embraces all cultures and periods, the Gallery possesses especially renowned collections of early Italian painting,...
. She sent the Societe Anonyme's collection to New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
in October 1941. In 1942, she was still attempting to have her house in Redding, Connecticut become a museum for her private collection. Without any financial backing, she decided to sell the house.
In April 1946, she moved to a new home in Milford, Connecticut
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
and continued to add artwork to the collection at Yale. In 1947, she attempted to reopen membership to the Societe Anonyme and printed a brochure, but Yale blocked distribution of the brochure because its name appeared on it. In 1948, Dreier and Duchamp created a catalog of the collection.