Artist Bob Thompson, whose work blends animal and human forms in a colorful and unique style, is still being celebrated with exhibitions today.

Artist History

Bob Thompson in his Manhattan studio from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Bob Thompson in his Manhattan studio from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; Photo: Bob Thompson

Bob Thompson (1937-1966) was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and briefly studied medicine before enrolling in the studio program at the University of Louisville (which desegregated in 1951). In the summer of 1958, Thompson lived in Provincetown, Massachusetts where he continued his studies and discovered the work of German artist Jan Muller, who became a source of inspiration for his work.

He later moved to New York City where his work became inspired by jazz musicians, many of whom made their way into his paintings including Nina Simone and Ornette Coleman. During this time Thompson also received his first solo New York City exhibition.

Bob Thompson’s “The Wind” from 1963. Thompson frequently depicted birds, perhaps as symbols of freedom and the ultimate flight of death.
Bob Thompson’s “The Wind” from 1963. Thompson frequently depicted birds, perhaps as symbols of freedom and the ultimate flight of death; Photo: Bob Thompson

In 1961, Thompson and his wife, Carol, traveled to London and Paris, and eventually settled down in Ibiza, Spain. His time in Spain strengthened his study of Francisco de Goya and inspired several of his works. The couple made a second trip to Rome where Thompson passed away in May 1966 due to complications following gallbladder surgery.

Focusing on themes of collectivity, struggle, and injustice, Thompson’s work reconstructs well-known compositions from European artists such as Francisco de Goya and Pierre Della Francesca using distortion and intense colors. His work features human and animal figures, which are often silhouetted or lacking certain features.

Art Exhibits

One recent exhibition was titled This House Is Mine, which comes from a painting the artist created in 1960. This House Is Mine was a traveling art exhibition and the first exhibition honoring Bob Thompson’s work in twenty years. The show brought together paintings and works on paper from more than fifty private and public collections across the United States.

The most recent exhibition highlighting Thompson’s work was titled after Irving Stone’s 1961 biographical novel of Michelangelo Buonarotti, Bob Thompson: Agony & Ecstasy. The show, which ran from April 1 to July 7, 2023, demonstrates the fervor with which Thompson pursued his vision in defiance of prevailing social limitations.

Highlights from Bob Thompson: Agony & Ecstasy include five large-scale paintings dated to 1963, a landmark year in the artist’s practice. These paintings showcase Thompson’s radical approach the culmination of his travels to Europe from 1961 to 1963. The show will be Michael Rosenfeld Gallery’s sixth exhibition focused on Thompson and first solo exhibition mounted since acquiring the estate in 2019.