Joseph Solman

American modernist Joseph Solman was a renowned expressionist painter and co-founder, alongside Mark Rothko, of the group The Ten. Solman is known for his moody portraits and unique use of earthy tones, which were influenced by Paul Klee, Giorgio Morandi, and Honoré Daumier. Solman claimed that he learned about the human figure from riding the subway. As a result, he is best known for the Subway Gouaches series, which emotively depicts individuals on their daily commute.

Solman’s work has been widely exhibited in group and solo shows internationally, including The Jewish Museum, New York, New York State Council on the Arts, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Municipal Art Gallery, New York, and Nevada Museum of Art, Reno. Solman's work is included in collections at the Whitney Museum of Art, New York, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C., Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Boston Public Library, among many others.