Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio is lending a painting from its collection to the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibit, “Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction”, on view November 21-March 12th. This major exhibit, following venues in London and Berlin, surveys this multidisciplinary artist’s career, when it was radical to be a multimedia artist. This Swiss born artist created paintings, reliefs, architectural and interior designs, polychrome marionettes, textiles, and beadwork. Sophie Taeuber-Arp was in the shadow of her more famous husband, Jean (Hans) Arp, as were many female artists.

George L.K. Morris was friends with the couple and collaborated with them and Caesar Domela on the art magazine, “Plastique” during its short run from 1937-1939. Morris bought this painting of gouache on paper, titled Composition in a Circle (10”x13”) from Sophie Taeuber-Arp in 1937. The same year, in his capacity as Chairman of the Advisory Committee at MoMA, Morris acquired a sculpture by Jean Arp for the museum, as well as a Mondrian and Miro. He collected works by these artists who were little known at the time, and for himself, at the same time.