John Button (1929–12 December 1982) was an American artist, well known for his city-scapes. Educated at the University of California, Berkeley then moved to New York City in the early 1950s. He became friends with Fairfield Porter and Frank O'Hara and assumed his part in the New York School of Painters and Poets.
Amidst the frenzy of Abstract Expressionism, Button remained true to his interest in realism, and is now most commonly associated with such New York School artists as Fairfield Porter, Jane Freilicher, and Alex Katz. Button was a fine draftsman and drew from life models throughout his career. However, little known are his sketches of male nudes – studio models from the School of Visual Arts, where Button taught, as well as personal acquaintances.
Button died of a heart attack in New York City on 12 December 1982.
Tough justice john button
2009 "John Button, Reflections on Light," Bernhard Goldberg Fine Arts, East Hampton, NY
2007-08 "John Button (1929-1982): Paintings and Drawing from the Estate," ClampArt, New York City
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," Madison Art Center, Madison, Wisconsin
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," Mary and Leigh Block Gallery, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," Akron Art Museum, Akron, Ohio
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, California
1985-87 "American Realism: Twentieth Century Drawings and Watercolors from the Glenn C. Janss Collection," DeCordova and Dana Museum and Park, Lincoln, Massachusetts
1986 "John Button: The Last Works," Fischbach Gallery, New York City
1985-86 "City Views: Panoramas to Particulars," CIGNA Museum and Art Collection, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1984 "John Button: Paintings and Gouaches," Visual Arts Museum, School of Visual Arts, New York City
1984 "John Button: An American Painter," The College Gallery, Keane College, Union, New Jersey
1984 "Art and Friendship: A Tribute to Fairfield Porter," Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, New York
1982 "An Appreciation of Realism," Museum of Art, Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, New York
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; Museum of Modern Art, New York City; Columbia University, New York City; Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York City; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, New York; Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, New York; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; Oakland Museum, Oakland, California; Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut; Colby College, Colby, Maine; Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Maine; Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire; Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey; Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina; Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City, Utah; Utah State University, Logan, Utah; Rahr-West Art Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, Indiana; Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, Florida; Jersey City Museum, New Jersey; Long Island Museum, Stony Brook, New York; New York Public Library, New York City; Museum of the City of New York, New York City; Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island; St. Lawrence University, New York; University of Rochester, New York