In the 1930s, Ad Reinhardt's journey as an abstract artist began to take shape against the backdrop of his education and the broader currents of modern art movements. Having studied art history at Columbia University under Meyer Schapiro, Reinhardt was immersed in the humanities and informed about the latest trends in visual arts and theory. His education was marked by a solid foundation in literature and art history, shaping his early engagement with the visual arts and grounding his subsequent exploration of abstract art (The Art Story). Reinhardt's early artistic endeavors were further shaped by his involvement with the American Abstract Artists group, which he joined in 1937. This affiliation exposed him to the works and ideas of prominent abstract artists of the time, including Mondrian, Léger, and Albers. His work from this period reflects a sophisticated understanding of abstract composition, characterized by bold abstractions and an all-over compositional approach that signaled his move towards pure geometric structure (Smithsonian American Art Museum). Reinhardt's engagement with various art movements, particularly Cubism and Constructivism, was evident in his works from the late 1930s, often referred to as his "late classical mannerist post-cubist geometric abstractions." These pieces showcased Reinhardt's adeptness at navigating the realm of geometric abstraction, setting the stage for his later experiments with color and form (Smithsonian American Art Museum). His artworks during this time were characterized by an interest in European geometric abstraction and a keen attention to color, as seen in his contributions to the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA/FAP), where he worked alongside other leading artists such as Willem de Kooning and Arshile Gorky (The Museum of Modern Art). Reinhardt's commitment to abstract art was not only a reflection of his aesthetic preferences but also intertwined with his political and social views. Through his work as a cartoonist and illustrator for PM and other publications, Reinhardt utilized his art to express his socialist political views and critique the commercialization of art and the role of artists in society (Wikipedia) (The Museum of Modern Art). This duality of Reinhardt's work—his commitment to abstraction on the one hand and his engagement with social and political themes on the other—underscores the complexity of his artistic vision in the 1930s and beyond. As the decade progressed, Reinhardt's exploration of abstraction deepened, laying the groundwork for his subsequent development as a key figure in American abstract art. His early works, with their bold geometric shapes and patterns, were indicative of a profound engagement with the fundamental elements of art, setting the stage for his later, more reductive works that would come to define his legacy (The Museum of Modern Art).
