Elena Rossi
Jasper Johns' Flag is an encaustic painting created in 1954-1955, two years after his discharge from the U.S. Army. It is one of the artist's most famous works and is known for its depiction of the American flag. The painting is considered a pivotal object in the history of modern American art and has sparked discussions about the relationship between individuals and their national culture. Flag is said to have been inspired by a dream Johns had about painting the U.S. flag and marks a shift from abstract expressionism to a focus on common, everyday objects.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Jasper Johns |
| Painting Title | Flag |
| Year | 1954-1955 |
| Medium | Encaustic, oil, and collage on fabric mounted on plywood |
| Dimensions | 42-1/4 x 60-5/8" / 107.3 x 153.8 cm |
| No. of Panels | 3 |
| Colours | Red, white, and blue |
| No. of Stars | 48 |
| No. of Stripes | 13 |
| Collection | Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York |
| Inspiration | Dream of the U.S. flag |
| Series | Targets, maps, letters, numbers |
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What You'll Learn
- Jasper Johns' Flag was painted on three separate canvases mounted on plywood
- The painting was inspired by a dream Johns had of the US flag in 1954
- The encaustic painting style used by Johns allows viewers to see layers of newspaper beneath the surface
- The painting is considered a precursor to Pop Art of the 1960s
- Johns' work explores the boundary between abstraction and representation
Jasper Johns' Flag was painted on three separate canvases mounted on plywood
Jasper Johns' Flag is a painting that was created in 1954-1955, two years after the artist was discharged from the U.S. Army. It is one of the paintings for which Johns is best known and is currently held in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The work measures 42.2 inches (107.3 cm) by 60.6 inches (153.8 cm) and is made using encaustic, oil paint, and newsprint or newspaper collage on three separate canvases, mounted on a plywood board.
The painting reflects the three colours of the U.S. flag: red, white, and blue. The flag depicted in the painting is the version that was used between 1912 and 1959, with 48 white stars on a blue canton representing the then 48 U.S. states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), and thirteen red and white stripes. Johns' representation of the flag motif was faithful to its conventional form, a decision that some found more mystifying than if he had deviated from it.
Johns' use of encaustic, a mixture of pigment suspended in warm wax that congeals as each stroke is applied, creates a textured, almost sculptural surface. This technique also allows the viewer to see the layers of newspaper or newsprint beneath the painted surface, reflecting the dense history and complex meaning embedded in the symbol of the American flag. By representing a flag, Johns eliminated the artist's subjective role in choosing colours and forms to express an idea, inviting viewers to reconsider the traditional values of art.
Johns' Flag is considered a pivotal object within the history of modern American art. It marked a beginning for Johns as an artist, but it also signalled the end of Abstract Expressionism. In the paintings that followed Flag, Johns systematically challenged every aspect of mid-century painting, beginning with the tactile brushstrokes that are evident in Flag.
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The painting was inspired by a dream Johns had of the US flag in 1954
In 1954, Jasper Johns had a dream that inspired him to paint the US flag. This dream marked the beginning of Johns' career as an artist, and his subsequent paintings of the flag became some of his most famous works.
Johns had a dream in 1954 in which he saw himself painting an American flag. At the time, he was working closely with Robert Rauschenberg in adjacent lofts in lower Manhattan. Following this dream, Johns made two significant decisions that would shape his artistic career. Firstly, he destroyed all of his existing work, vowing that his future art would be free of influence from other artists. Secondly, he painted 'Flag', a moderate-scale and curiously mature work depicting the American flag.
Johns' decision to paint the American flag was influenced by his interest in painting things that were "'seen and not looked at, not examined'. The flag, as an iconic and ubiquitous symbol, fit this description perfectly. By painting the flag in encaustic, a mixture of pigment suspended in warm wax, Johns created a heavily worked and encrusted surface that made the familiar image of the flag both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, drawing viewers' attention to it in a new way.
The painting 'Flag' is considered a pivotal object within the history of modern American art. It marked a turning point for Johns, establishing his reputation as an artist and introducing him as a key New York artist. Additionally, it signalled the beginning of the end for Abstract Expressionism, as Johns' subsequent paintings systematically challenged every aspect of mid-century painting, starting with the tactile brushstrokes seen in 'Flag'.
Johns' dream about the American flag and his subsequent painting of it were significant not only for their impact on his own artistic career but also for their broader influence on modern American art. By choosing to paint an iconic and familiar symbol, Johns created a body of work that invited viewers to look at the familiar in a new way, challenging the abstract expressionist movement of the time.
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The encaustic painting style used by Johns allows viewers to see layers of newspaper beneath the surface
Jasper Johns' Flag is one of his most famous works, completed between 1945 and 1955. It is a painting of the American flag, inspired by a dream in which he saw himself painting one. The painting is considered a pivotal object within the history of modern American art.
Johns' innovative use of encaustic painting, a medium that combines pigment with heated wax, allowed him to explore the immediacy and durability of painting. The encaustic technique, which first emerged in the 4th century BCE, was used to waterproof ships. Artists soon discovered that when combined with pigments, the wax could be used for decorative purposes. Johns' use of encaustic wasn't simply a technical choice but a deliberate effort to foreground the material nature of his art. The quick-drying method allowed individual brush strokes to stand out, enabling him to create layers and textures.
Johns' work represents a deep exploration of artistic techniques that made a lasting impact on 20th-century art. His innovative use of encaustic painting, alongside pioneering approaches in printmaking and sculpture, allowed him to transform everyday symbols into complex, thought-provoking works. His art invites viewers to explore the interplay between material and meaning, challenging traditional artistic processes and offering unique ways to engage with familiar imagery.
Johns' Flag, in particular, shifts the visual emphasis from the flag's emblematic meaning to the geometric patterns and variegated texture of the picture surface and the canvas structure. By doing so, Johns explores the boundary between abstraction and representation.
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The painting is considered a precursor to Pop Art of the 1960s
Jasper Johns' "Flag" is considered a precursor to Pop Art of the 1960s. Created in 1954-55, it is a representation of the American flag, painted using encaustic, oil, and collage on fabric mounted on plywood. The painting is a pivotal object within the history of modern American art, marking the beginning of Johns' career and the end of Abstract Expressionism.
Johns was inspired to paint "Flag" after dreaming about painting an American flag. He saw the flag as a thing that the mind already knows, a common symbol that he didn't invent but could take from the culture and images around him. By choosing such a recognisable subject, Johns eliminated the artist's traditional subjective role in choosing colours and forms to express an idea. Instead, he shifted the emphasis to the geometric patterns and texture of the picture surface, exploring the boundary between abstraction and representation.
The use of encaustic, a mixture of pigment suspended in warm wax, creates a unique surface that adds to the complexity of the work. The painting's structural arrangement, with three flags of successively diminished scale, also challenges classical perspective. The painting's execution and composition elicit close inspection, drawing attention to the process of its creation and the layers of newspaper beneath the painted surface.
Johns' decision to faithfully represent the motif of the American flag was, in some respects, more mystifying than if he had deviated from its conventional form. By re-rendering a powerful image like the American flag, Johns created a neutral field that viewers could project their own meanings onto. This idea of turning his canvas and paintbrush on a fixed visual form is a fascinating aspect of the work, as it challenges traditional values in painting related to the artist's choice of colour and composition.
Overall, "Flag" by Jasper Johns is considered a precursor to Pop Art due to its use of a common everyday object as its subject and its invitation to reconsider traditional artistic values. It marked a shift in the art world, moving away from Abstract Expressionism and towards a new form of art that would become known as Pop Art in the 1960s.
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Johns' work explores the boundary between abstraction and representation
Jasper Johns is an American painter, sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker, born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in South Carolina. He is considered a pivotal figure in the evolution of American postwar art, with associations with abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art movements. Johns's work challenges the boundaries between abstraction and representation, and his paintings of flags are a prime example of this exploration.
Johns's interest in the American flag as a subject emerged in the early 1950s, inspired by a dream in which he envisioned himself painting the flag. This led to the creation of his renowned painting, "Flag," completed in 1954-1955. The work is considered a pivotal moment in Johns's career and a significant turning point for Abstract Expressionism.
Johns's "Flag" series, including Three Flags (1958), exemplifies his exploration of the boundary between abstraction and representation. By painting a familiar and recognisable symbol like the American flag, Johns shifts the focus from the flag's emblematic meaning to the geometric patterns, textures, and canvas structure. This exploration invites viewers to perceive the flag in a new light, almost as if they were encountering it for the first time.
Johns's use of encaustic, a mixture of pigment and warm wax, in his flag paintings further emphasises the textural and sculptural qualities of the work, drawing attention to the process of its creation. The accumulation of distinct marks creates a sensuous surface, adding complexity to the composition.
Additionally, Johns's decision to depict the flag in a series of diminishing scales in "Three Flags" challenges classical perspective, where objects typically recede from the viewer's vantage point. This play with scale and perspective further emphasises Johns's exploration of the boundary between abstraction and representation, inviting viewers to examine the familiar symbol in a new, abstract light.
Through his flag paintings, Johns successfully navigates the space between abstraction and representation, challenging viewers' perceptions of familiar symbols and inviting them to engage with the work on a deeper level.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Johns' Flag was not painted on an actual flag. It was painted on three separate canvases mounted on a plywood board.
Johns used encaustic, oil paint, and newsprint collage to paint Flag.
Flag measures 42.2 inches (107.3 cm) by 60.6 inches (153.8 cm).
Johns painted Flag in 1954-1955, two years after he was discharged from the U.S. Army.
Johns was inspired to paint Flag after dreaming about painting an American flag. He was interested in painting things that people see in their daily lives, such as flags, targets, numbers, and letters.
