Untitledc. 1949/50Oil on canvasSigned lower right and versoMark Rothko, Collection of SFMOMA

Untitled

Quantum 1

Bernice Bing, Quantum 2 SeriesMixed media laid on art boardd. 1992, Signature verso26" x 40"

Quantum 2 Series

Mixed media laid on art boardd. 1992, Signature verso26" x 40"

7/23/53

Untitled Signed verso, WassersteinOil on canvas50" x 60"ProvenanceEstate of Julius Wasserstein

Black & Blued. 1969Oil on canvas50" x 60"ProvenanceAcquired from the artist

Black & Blue

ARENA #28d. 1959Enamel and sand on canvas60" x 48"ExhibitedSan Francisco Museum Art Associationat the San Francisco Museum of Art, 1960.Awarded the San Francisco Art Association Purchase prize award by the considered and sensitive judgment of juror Lloyd Goodrich, director of the Whitney Museum ofAmerican Art, New York City.Invited by the San Francisco Art Association, Mr. Goodrich brought to this arduous task his expert knowledge and unwavering enthusiasm for the work of American artists.Reproduced page A-28, Prize Winning paintings. Compiled by Margaret Harold, published by Allied Publications, Nashville, Tenn.

ARENA #28

Exhibited 
San Francisco Museum of Art, 1949 group show 
San Francisco Museum 
of Art label verso 
Edward Corbett (1919-1971) 
 
​ 
 
Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1919, Edward Corbett began art studies at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. During World War II, he was drafted into the army and merchant marine. After his discharge, he spent a year in New York, then returned to California to teach at San Francisco State College. He taught at the California School of Fine Arts for five years, along with Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, and Richard Diebenkorn. 
 
In 1951, Corbett moved to Taos. The year after, his work was included in a group show titled 15 Americans at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. San Francisco Museum of Art curator Susan Landauer commented that if he had remained in New York, he “might now be considered one of the better Abstract Expressionists.” Indeed, Corbett’s work stood out, even alongside the works of Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Clyfford Still. Critic and Art News president Thomas Hess even called him “the most interesting new artist in the show.” 
 
Despite the publicity that followed the exhibition, he left New York shortly after,

Untitled #6

Double Bubbled. 1965Oil on canvas72" x 72"

Double Bubble

abstract-energies2

This exhibition delves into the raw, introspective power of Bay Area Abstract Expressionism in the post-WWII era, showcasing non-representational works that explore form, texture, and emotional depth. Drawing from influences like Mark Rothko at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), these pieces reflect the region's shift toward bold, gestural abstraction amid cultural upheaval. Highlights include Edward Corbett's subtle casein studies and Robert McChesney's enamel-and-sand textures, with provenances from SFMOMA and Whitney Museum underscoring their institutional significance. Ideal for collectors seeking the energetic core of mid-century modernism.

Abstract Energies: Post-War Abstractions