It examines how and why religion matters in the history of modern American art. Andy Warhol is one of the best-known American artists of the twentieth century. He was also a devout Catholic who carried a rosary, attended mass regularly, had a Bible by his bedside, and depicted religious themes throughout his career. Warhol was a spiritual modernist: a contemporary artist who used religious images, beliefs, and practices to create a distinct form of American art.

"Spiritual Moderns" centers on four American artists who were both contemporary and religious. Joseph Cornell, who collaborated with the Surrealists, was a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Mark Tobey created pioneering Abstract Expressionist works and was a follower of the Bahá'í Faith. Agnes Pelton was a Symbolist painter who embraced metaphysical movements such as New Thought, Theosophy, and Agni Yoga. And Warhol, a leading figure in Pop Art, was a lifelong Catholic.

Working with biographical materials, social history, affect theory, and the tools of art history, Dos analyzes the intertwined themes of art and religion and proposes a revised interpretation of American modernism.

Pages: 352, Year Published: 0817, Dimensions: 17.8x17.8cm