Adolph Gottlieb's Pictograph series, which he began in 1941, represents a significant shift in his artistic journey and marks a pivotal moment in the development of Abstract Expressionism. The Pictographs emerged from Gottlieb's desire to create a new form of visual language that integrated diverse influences including classical mythology, modern psychoanalytic theory, and the art and cultures of Oceanic, Melanesian, Native American, and African peoples. This series was Gottlieb's attempt to distill these varied sources into a universal language that could transcend time and geography, often featuring grids or boxlike structures filled with faces, shapes, and symbols (The Museum of Modern Art).
The genesis of the Pictograph series coincided with a period of profound global unrest; the Great Depression had not ended, and World War II was engulfing Europe, Africa, and Asia. Gottlieb, along with his contemporaries like Mark Rothko, sought to address the brutal realities of their time through art. Gottlieb's move towards the Pictographs was a deliberate departure from his previous methods, aimed at capturing the "mixture of brutality and beauty" he saw in life. This approach mirrored the broader ambitions of Abstract Expressionism, seeking to convey complex emotional and existential themes through abstraction (Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation).
The Pictographs also represented a formal challenge. Gottlieb and his peers were exploring new territory, attempting to develop a form of expression that could convey deep meaning without relying on traditional narrative or symbolic structures. This exploration led to a focus on formal problems and the creation of a visual language that was both personal and universal, paving the way for future developments in Abstract Expressionism (Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation).
Gottlieb's Pictographs were not just an artistic innovation; they were part of a larger debate among American artists about the role of meaning and abstraction in art. By forging a new path that integrated a wide array of cultural and historical influences, Gottlieb sought to reconnect with the roots of Western art in a way that felt relevant to the modern world. His works from this period reflect a belief in the power of visual art to engage viewers on an emotional level, inviting participation and interpretation in the absence of traditional narrative structures (Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation) (Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation).