Abstract Denman Ross’s ideas about art and design reached a wide audience between the 1890s and 1930s through his teaching at Harvard University and his books. An analysis of his teaching exercises using abstract design elements and his influential text A Theory of Pure Design: Harmony, Balance, and Rhythm with Illustrations and Diagrams (1907) can enrich our understanding of American formalism at its inception and its reliance on science. An examination of Ross’s interests in science and the scientific method helps to explain the combination of conservative and forward‐looking characteristics found in his work.
Current issues are now on the Chicago Journals website. Read the latest issue. American Art is a not-for-profit, peer-reviewed, scholarly journal dedicated to exploring all aspects of the United States’ visual heritage from colonial to contemporary times. It seeks to promote sound scholarship and thought-provoking interpretation on topics in the fine arts, popular culture, public art, film, electronic multimedia, decorative arts, and craft. Through a broad interdisciplinary approach, the journal provides readers with a richer understanding not only of specific artists and objects, but also of the cultural factors that have shaped American visual culture over three centuries. American Art embraces all methods of investigation to explore the nation’s rich and diverse artistic legacy.
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