The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 26, 2025
Spiral Sketchbook No. VI
c. 1938–44
(American, 1880–1946)
Closed: 13 x 7.5 cm (5 1/8 x 2 15/16 in.); Open: 25.5 x 7.5 cm (10 1/16 x 2 15/16 in.)
Gift of William Dove 1992.208
Location: Not on view
Description
Dove frequently listened to music as he painted, and was particularly interested in the improvisational qualities of jazz. His diaries make reference to favorite music ranging from Louis Armstrong and George Gershwin to the popular big band sounds of Paul Whiteman and Bing Crosby and even the avant-garde work of Igor Stravinsky. Like Kandinsky, Dove was interested in the concept of synesthesia, or the interaction of the various senses of perception. In these late watercolors and drawings from his personal sketchbooks, he continued to work with the idea that certain combinations of form, color, and line could evoke the same emotional and physical responses as the harmonies of musical sound.- Turner, Evan H. “The Year in Review for 1992.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 80, no. 2 (February 1993): 38–79. Mentioned: p. 71 www.jstor.org
- Julie Mehretu: Portals. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 16-November 13, 2022).Themes and Variations: Musical Drawings and Prints. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (January 25-May 17, 2015).Signs of Affection: Gifts Honoring the Museum's 75th Anniversary. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 1992-January 3, 1993).
- {{cite web|title=Spiral Sketchbook No. VI|url=false|author=Arthur Dove|year=c. 1938–44|access-date=26 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1992.208