Sheeler, Charles (1883-1965), was an American painter and photographer. He is best known for paintings that blend realism with the geometric forms associated with Cubism. This style can best be seen in his paintings of interior and exterior architectural forms.
Sheeler was born on July 16, 1883, in Philadelphia. After a conventional art training, he moved toward more modern elements in his paintings, especially after his work was included in the Armory Show of modern art in 1913. In spite of the appearance of Cubist patterns in his work, Sheeler rarely omitted recognizable subject matter altogether. Instead, he applied Cubism’s clear forms to distinctly American subjects, such as the simple barns of his native Pennsylvania and the factories of Detroit. He invented a style of precise and intense realism by which he is best remembered. His work in photography, with its literal realism, inspired his painting. Sheeler died on May 7, 1965.
