Mark Tobey American, 1890-1976

Mark Tobey was an American painter whose innovative approach to abstraction connected Eastern philosophy, calligraphy and Western modernism. Born in Centerville, Wisconsin, he initially worked in Chicago and New York before travelling extensively in Europe and Asia. His encounters with Asian art and Zen philosophy profoundly influenced his artistic development. Tobey developed a distinctive technique known as "white writing", in which intricate networks of fine lines spread across the surface of the canvas. These rhythmic marks create complex visual fields in which foreground and background appear to dissolve into one another. His paintings reject conventional perspective and encourage the viewer to experience the entire surface simultaneously. Tobey became an important influence on European and American post-war abstraction, particularly through his association with the School of the Northwest. He lived and worked for many years in Europe, eventually settling in Basel, Switzerland. His synthesis of calligraphic movement and abstract composition established a unique artistic language. Tobey remains an important figure in the history of international abstract painting.