Weber turned more often to people and the social structure in which they lived for his subjects. Born in Russia, Weber came to America at the age of 10. Much of his childhood activity ws directed toward drawing. After study with American teachers, he went to Paris where, at the age of 24 he became directly involved in the avant-garde movements, helping to start and being a member of the first class taught by Matisse. In 1908 Weber returned to New York with his "wild" ideas and found himself a stranger in his own land.
What John Marin felt by intuition in the new art forms, Weber had experienced directly, but like Marin, he did not become an imitation, using instead the vocabulary of the modern movement to speak in his own way.
Often cryptic, Weber's figure pieces are populated by types as often as they are populated by individuals. With his penetrating eye and sureness of line, "The Wind Orchestra" is Weber in one of his finest works both as painting and social commentary. Source: Bulletin May 1961.
Exhibition History"Max Weber: American Modern," Jewish Museum, N.Y., Oct. 5, 1982 - Jan. 16, 1983; (Circulated to: Norton Gallery and School of Art, West Palm Beach, FL, Feb. 18 - Apr. 10, 1983; McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, May 22 - July 31, 1983; Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Aug. 27 - Nov. 5, 1983)
"American Sampler," Davenport Municipal Art Gallery, May 4 - June 9, 1963
"Six Decades of American Painting of the Twentieth Century," Des Moines Art Center, Feb. 10 - Mar. 12, 1961 (painting was purchased from exhibition)
"Americans of Our Time," Museum of Art, Ogunquit, ME, Summer 1960
"Max Weber Retrospective," Newark Museum, NJ, Oct. - Nov. 1959
"The Summer Show," Downtown Gallery, N.Y., June 1959
"Max Weber: The Figure in Retrospect, 1906-1958," Downtown Gallery, November 11 – December 6, 1958, cat. no. 25
"20 American Artists of the 20th Century," Des Moines Art Center, Mar. 28 - Apr. 22, 1951
"One Hundred Forty - fifth Annual Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture," Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1950
"Max Weber Retrospective," Whitney Museum of American Art, N.Y., Feb. 5 - Mar. 27, 1946; (Circulated to: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Apr. 17 - May 29, 1946; California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, June 1946)
"Painting in the United States," Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1946
Published ReferencesAlfred Werner, MAX WEBER, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., N.Y., 1975, ill. pl. no.138
SHOWCASE, Magazine of the Minnesota Orchestra, Vol.VI, No.2, Nov. 6 - 22, 1974, cover ill.
DMAC Bulletin, May 1961, cover ill.
THE NATHAN EMORY COFFIN COLLECTION, a portfolio of fifty selections from the collection, published by the Des Moines Art Center to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Nathan Emory Coffin, 1981, b/w ill.
"Painting in the United States," Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1946, exh. cat. no.92, ill. pl.7
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. pp.211 & 212, b/w ill. pl.142, p.212
"Six Decades of American Painting of the Twentieth Century," Des Moines Art Center, 1961, exh. cat. no.41
"One Hundred Forty-fifth Annual Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture," Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1950, exh. cat. no.129
"Max Weber: American Modern," Jewish Museum, N. Y., 1982, exh. cat. no.80
NEW YORK SUNDAY TIMES, Nov. 16, 1958, ill.
"20 American Artists of the 20th Century," Des Moines Art Center, 1951, exh. cat. no.69, ill.
"American Sampler," Davenport Municipal Art Gallery, 1963, exh. cat. no.69, ill.
"Americans of Our Time," Museum of Art, Ogunquit, ME, 1960, exh. cat. no.10
"Max Weber Retrospective," Whitney Museum of American Art, N. Y., 1949, exh. cat. no.73
"Max Weber Retrospective Exhibition," Newark Museum, NJ, 1959, exh. cat. no.50
