A Ukrainian-born artist named Janet Sobel, whose groundbreaking work in abstract expressionism and drip painting directly influenced Jackson Pollock, has emerged from historical obscurity as art historians reassess her significant contributions to American art. Sobel's 1945 painting "Milky Way" exemplifies her pioneering techniques that would later become synonymous with Pollock's famous drip paintings.
Sobel's entry into the New York art scene came through an unexpected route. According to art historians and family members, her son Sol was studying at the prestigious Art Students League in Manhattan during the late 1930s when he threatened to quit his studies. After Sobel criticized one of her son's paintings, Sol threw down his brush and challenged her to try painting herself. This moment of family tension sparked the beginning of an influential but tragically brief artistic career.
The self-taught artist quickly gained recognition in New York's competitive art world. In 1946, Sobel held her first solo exhibition at the Puma Gallery, where legendary art critic Clement Greenberg visited alongside Jackson Pollock. Greenberg later wrote in an update to his essay "American-Type Painting" that they "admired these pictures rather furtively," and noted that "later on, Pollock admitted that these pictures had made an impression on him." This admission reveals the direct influence Sobel's innovative techniques had on one of America's most celebrated artists.
A comparison between Sobel's work from 1946-1948 and Pollock's first drip painting in 1946 reveals striking similarities in technique and approach. Despite being described in 1946 as "an artist who will eventually be known as one of the important surrealist artists in this country," Sobel's career was cut short by multiple factors. Her outsider status in the male-dominated art world, her gender, age, and eventual move away from New York City, combined with the loss of her primary patron, all contributed to her disappearance from the art scene.
The Museum of Modern Art has recognized Sobel's contributions with educational content about her "Milky Way" painting, helping to restore her place in art history. In 2021, The New York Times included Sobel in their "Overlooked" obituary series, which honors significant figures whose deaths were not properly covered by the newspaper. The Menil Collection in Houston also featured Sobel's work in a major exhibition, bringing renewed attention to her innovative techniques and historical importance.
Sobel's story represents a broader pattern of women artists whose contributions were overlooked or minimized by the art establishment of their time. Her rediscovery highlights the ongoing efforts by museums, critics, and historians to reassess art history and give proper credit to pioneering artists who influenced major movements but were forgotten due to systemic barriers and societal prejudices.
