Charcoal Studies presents a series of figurative charcoals made by Lee Krasner (1908–84) from 1937 to 1940 under the tutelage of Hans Hofmann that would become seminal to the artist’s career.

In 1977, Krasner demonstrated the relevance of these charcoal works in a brilliant late series of collage paintings in which she repurposed a large number of her Hofmann School drawings. Fortunately, Krasner did not destroy all the drawings. Fifty of these are included in her 1995 catalogue raisonné; another portfolio with 20 more (including four previously unknown still lifes) has recently come to light.

Charcoals includes the never-before-published works as well as updated research and text to serve as a complete listing of all surviving Hofmann School charcoal sketches and as a definitive reference on this pivotal period within Krasner’s oeuvre.