the costume class to select for an exhibition student work from a project that aimed âto change the styles for men,â replacing tweeds with âlight comfortable garments.â 30
Despite this success, Krasner was not like most of her classmates, who thought about jobs in industry after studying at Cooper. She was planning to be a painter. No doubt that she was already beginning to learn about the existence of modern art. In Cooperâs weekly student newspaper, The Pioneer, there were discussions of modern painters and reviews of their works when shown at New York galleries. On February 17, 1928, a show of Cézanneâs work at the Wildenstein Gallery was praised for his âcosmic truths,â and his âwarmth and sincerity.â The same writer remarked, âIn Matisse, in Derain and in Segonzac, no one can readily see the reflection of Cézanne, but in Cézanne, one sees all and more.â 31
Other shows reviewed in the Cooper newspaper that term included a show of Degas at Durand-Ruel, the Independent Artists held at the Waldorf Hotel, and the work of George Bellows, Ralph Blakelock, and Albert Ryder at the MacBeth Gallery. Even a Picasso still life in the latest âSurrealistâ manner drew a student journalistâs attention. 32 Thus, by the time Krasner left Cooper to enroll at the National Academy, it is likely that she already had some sense that there was more going on aesthetically than her instructors at Cooper had been willing to admit.
In spring 1928, Krasner continued to study portrait painting, life drawing, and art history. She also added courses in perspective and anatomy. By then she was in the third alcove, studying âin castâ the full figure with the French-born Victor Semon Perard. She got along very well with Perard, her lecturer for anatomy, who appreciated her abilities enough to pay her the first compensation she ever received for making art. Known as an etcher and a lithographer, Perard employed Krasner to make illustrations for his book, Anatomy and Drawing (1928)ââa page or two for his book of hands and feet, blocked hands and feet from a cast.â 33 She recounted that she told herself: âThis is easy!â She imagined that she could earn a living from selling her artwork. Years later, when Krasner was shown a copy of Perardâs book, long since out of print and which she had not seen in fifty years, she proudly turned toher sketch, âStudies of Hands Method of Blocking.â The cubical forms, which do not resemble the bookâs other illustrations, perhaps hint at the modernist beginning to emerge. 34
Perardâs recognition was meaningful to Krasner. She did not, however, win any of the official prizesâ110 in allâawarded that year to âCooper Union girls.â For those in their second year, the awards were given for recognition in drawing and sketching in black and white, for watercolor, mural painting, and even for drawing in crayon. 35
Even though she was encouraged by Perardâs response to her work, Krasner left after the spring term of 1928. âI decided I ought to do something more serious than Cooper Union.â 36 She had already begun to share a studio at 96 Fifth Avenue (at Fifteenth Street) with some friends. Their rented quarters were near the Cooper Union Studio Club west of Union Square, where student members could work outside of school hours. Girls were known to go to Washington Square Park to sketch alfresco.
Krasner supported her share of the rent by modeling in the nude for Moses Weiner Dykaar, whose studio was located in the same building. Years later her friend the sculptor Ibram Lassaw recalled that he first met Krasner when she was working as a model. 37 Lassaw studied from 1931 to 1932 at the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in Midtown, which held life modeling and other courses, where Krasner might also have modeled.
Although Dykaar liked to sculpt figures as
Despite this success, Krasner was not like most of her classmates, who thought about jobs in industry after studying at Cooper. She was planning to be a painter. No doubt that she was already beginning to learn about the existence of modern art. In Cooperâs weekly student newspaper, The Pioneer, there were discussions of modern painters and reviews of their works when shown at New York galleries. On February 17, 1928, a show of Cézanneâs work at the Wildenstein Gallery was praised for his âcosmic truths,â and his âwarmth and sincerity.â The same writer remarked, âIn Matisse, in Derain and in Segonzac, no one can readily see the reflection of Cézanne, but in Cézanne, one sees all and more.â 31
Other shows reviewed in the Cooper newspaper that term included a show of Degas at Durand-Ruel, the Independent Artists held at the Waldorf Hotel, and the work of George Bellows, Ralph Blakelock, and Albert Ryder at the MacBeth Gallery. Even a Picasso still life in the latest âSurrealistâ manner drew a student journalistâs attention. 32 Thus, by the time Krasner left Cooper to enroll at the National Academy, it is likely that she already had some sense that there was more going on aesthetically than her instructors at Cooper had been willing to admit.
In spring 1928, Krasner continued to study portrait painting, life drawing, and art history. She also added courses in perspective and anatomy. By then she was in the third alcove, studying âin castâ the full figure with the French-born Victor Semon Perard. She got along very well with Perard, her lecturer for anatomy, who appreciated her abilities enough to pay her the first compensation she ever received for making art. Known as an etcher and a lithographer, Perard employed Krasner to make illustrations for his book, Anatomy and Drawing (1928)ââa page or two for his book of hands and feet, blocked hands and feet from a cast.â 33 She recounted that she told herself: âThis is easy!â She imagined that she could earn a living from selling her artwork. Years later, when Krasner was shown a copy of Perardâs book, long since out of print and which she had not seen in fifty years, she proudly turned toher sketch, âStudies of Hands Method of Blocking.â The cubical forms, which do not resemble the bookâs other illustrations, perhaps hint at the modernist beginning to emerge. 34
Perardâs recognition was meaningful to Krasner. She did not, however, win any of the official prizesâ110 in allâawarded that year to âCooper Union girls.â For those in their second year, the awards were given for recognition in drawing and sketching in black and white, for watercolor, mural painting, and even for drawing in crayon. 35
Even though she was encouraged by Perardâs response to her work, Krasner left after the spring term of 1928. âI decided I ought to do something more serious than Cooper Union.â 36 She had already begun to share a studio at 96 Fifth Avenue (at Fifteenth Street) with some friends. Their rented quarters were near the Cooper Union Studio Club west of Union Square, where student members could work outside of school hours. Girls were known to go to Washington Square Park to sketch alfresco.
Krasner supported her share of the rent by modeling in the nude for Moses Weiner Dykaar, whose studio was located in the same building. Years later her friend the sculptor Ibram Lassaw recalled that he first met Krasner when she was working as a model. 37 Lassaw studied from 1931 to 1932 at the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in Midtown, which held life modeling and other courses, where Krasner might also have modeled.
Although Dykaar liked to sculpt figures as
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