Robert Natkin

American, 1930-2010

Robert Natkin was a leading American abstract painter known for his color-saturated canvases that bridged Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, and Lyrical Abstraction. Over a five-decade career, he developed a deeply personal visual language that known for its rich texture and atmospheric color.

Born in Chicago to a Russian-Jewish immigrant family, Natkin studied at the Art Institute of Chicago from 1948 to 1952. In 1957, he and his wife, painter Judith Dolnick, co-founded the Wells Street Gallery—an important early venue for abstraction in the Midwest. After moving to New York in 1959, he quickly gained national attention, including inclusion in the Whitney Museum’s 1960 “Young America” exhibition.

Natkin worked in series, each exploring color and form in new ways. His Apollo series is known for its vertical color bands; the Field Mouse works evoke Paul Klee’s whimsical intricacy; and the Hitchcock paintings balance mystery with playful invention. He often applied paint with cloth or sponge, creating soft-edged compositions.

Major retrospectives and solo shows followed at the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His work is held in the permanent collections of MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, LACMA, and Centre Pompidou.

Natkin’s paintings continue to resonate with collectors and curators for their emotional depth and visual creativity. His legacy remains a vital part of the American abstract tradition.