Rolph Scarlett

Born on June 13, 1889, in Guelph, Canada, Rolph Scarlett grew up in an artistic family. After working as an apprentice in his uncle’s jewelry workshop, he continued his training at the Art Students League in New York, where he became familiar with painting techniques. During his training years, he also dedicated his free time to painting and designing theater sets, notably creating those for the world premiere in 1928 of Eugene O’Neill’s play, “Lazarus Laughed”.

His encounter with Swiss artist Paul Klee during a business trip to Switzerland in 1923 marked a turning point in his career. Inspired by Klee’s innovative approach, Scarlett gradually abandoned his figurative style to adopt an abstract language, translating universal and cosmic truths.

In 1937, after permanently settling in New York, he met Hilla Rebay, the first director of the Museum of Non-Objective Painting, which later became the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. With her support, Scarlett received a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation, allowing him to fully dedicate himself to his passion for painting. From 1940 to 1946, he served as a lecturer at the museum, where he gave lectures on art.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Scarlett became known as one of the leading practitioners of geometric abstraction. His works, such as “Yellow Bar” (1942), are characterized by overlapping geometric planes of bright primary colors on neutral backgrounds, reflecting his rejection of any reference to the outside world. He regarded non-objective painting as an act of “pure creation.”

Throughout his career, he exhibited his works in several prestigious galleries, including the Jacques Seligmann Gallery in New York and the Sioux City Art Center. His works were also featured in group exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Carnegie Museum of Art.

After moving to upstate New York, Scarlett continued to paint and design jewelry until his later years, immersing himself in the creation of unique sculptural jewelry. He passed away on August 7, 1984, near Woodstock, New York.