SwissArtGallery · Documented identity

Paul Jenkins

Born : 1923Died : 2012Documented citizenships : United States

The American painter Paul Jenkins — also known as William Paul Jenkins (1923–2012) — places light-colour at the centre of his practice, with a particular interest in the prism. He studies at the Kansas Art Institute from 1937 to 1942, then, on a scholarship, enters the Cleveland Play House, a theatre school where he takes a particular interest in set design. After serving in the US Naval Air Corps from 1943 to 1945, he settles in New York in 1948 and studies at the Art Students League. In 1953, he moves to Paris, where he becomes acquainted with European painting, and later divides his time between the two cities. From the mid-1950s, he exhibits at Studio Paul Facchetti in Paris, the Zoe Dusanne Gallery in Seattle, and then the Martha Jackson Gallery in New York. In 1956, he publishes Observations of Michel Tapié with his first wife, Esther Jenkins.

His study of Goethe’s Traité des couleurs leads to the creation of the Phenomena series in 1960. Jenkins works without a brush: he pours liquid pigments onto the canvas, tilting it to direct their flow and distribution. His travels take him to Japan, where he works with the Gutai group, and to India. From 1976, he turns his attention to Newton’s prism and explores the effects of transparency and opacity in colour. Two publications accompany the dissemination of his work: a monograph by Albert Elsen, published by Harry N. Abrams in 1973, followed by his autobiography, Anatomy of a Cloud, published by the same publisher in 1983.

His practice also includes lithography. In the 1960s, he frequents Fernand Mourlot’s studio; at Mourlot’s invitation, he creates a poster in 1967 for the opening of the studio’s New York branch at 115 Bank Street. From 1987, he practises lithography at the Bordas studio, where he conceives, with André Verdet, the entirely lithographed book Euphories de la couleur, published in 1988. The series Sept aspects d’Amadeus et les autres, dated 1992, brings together more than fifty lithographs. The stage forms another aspect of his work: his choreographic piece Prisme du Chaman, for which he also designs the sets and costumes, is presented at the Opéra de Paris in 1987.

This profile brings together identity references for Paul Jenkins and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.

21 references are documented at Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer, Kornfeld, Schuler, Dobiaschofsky, Germann, Lempertz. Each record links to its source; the amounts are not a general valuation of the artist’s work.

Works recorded at auction

Photograph : Schuler · Enlarge image ↗

Schuler · Lot 3010

Phenoma Burris III Arch

Aquarell auf Arches France

Catalogue period : 2026-09-11

Published result : 3400 CHF

Fees not specified in the available data

Estimate : CHF 3000–5000

Paul Jenkins

Works recorded at auction

Phenoma Burris III Arch

Untitled

Phenomena: Three Whys

Phenomena Terra Emblem

"Phenomena Before 11 AM".

Phenomena Prism Veil

Phenomena Kanemitsu Kite, 1991

Phenomena Mystic Grange

Phenomena Sounding

Phenomena Sight of Line

Phenomena St. Croix Green Flash, 1978

Phenomena Meditation Prism

Untitled

Phenomena to Votress, 1963

Phenomena

Phenomena Color Guide, 1975

Phenomena Blue Ash, 1979

Phenomena Audubon Mirage, 1975

Abstrakt-expressionistische Komposition.

Abstrakt-expressionistische Komposition.

Untitled

Sources and references

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