Erle Loran

Erle Loran (1905-1999) was an interesting artist working in California during the mid century modern period. As an art teacher Loran published a book entitled, Cézanne's Composition, exploring the artist's approach to form and line during a period when California Impressionism art still perplexed American viewers. The importance of this publication explained Cézanne from a purely aesthetic point of view and helped a multitude of artists and scholars. Loran's book became a staple amongst California artists, teachers, and students. It was used by important universities who were beginning to teach modern art in the United States. 

Loran was born with the name Erleloran Johnson. And as a young art student, he attended University of Minnesota from 1922-1923, eventually transferring to Minneapolis School of Art where he graduated in 1926. Through the Chaloner Foundation, Loran gained a scholarship to study abroad in Europe. He became fascinated by the artist Paul Cézanne. Erle Loran explored the French countryside around Aix-en-Provence, France, to immerse himself in Cézanne's mindset and inspirations.  It is thought Loran may have lived in Cézanne's studio while in France.

Loran returned to the United States in 1930, where he worked in New York as an art critic also continuing painting. During the Great Depression, Loran returned to Minneapolis where he became an artist of the Public Works of Art Project, a federal program that commissioned artists during the Great Depression. In the mid-1930s, Johnson changed his name to Erle Loran. 

In 1936, Loran made his way West and was appointed to the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley. Loran became the leader of an artist group known as the "Berkeley School." He began incorporating iconography in his work that was influenced by Asian, pre-Columbian, as well as American Indian and African tribal art.

In 1943 Loran wrote his important book on Cezanne. His pupils at Berkeley included Richard Diebenkorn and Sam Francis. In 1954 Loran studied with Hans Hofmann, the important painter and theorist of modern art in New York.

Loran retired from the University in 1972 and died at age 93. His art work was collected by the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, the Los Angeles County Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Although unknown to many American collectors, Loran was a an influential California artist who changed the course of American art with his Cezanne publication as well as his work with the Berkeley School of artists.

*The Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University's exhibition has an exemplary work by Erle Loran currently on view. 

Image Courtest: SF Moma