Minnesota Modern: Four Artists of the Twentieth Century By Moira Harris, Brian Szott and Ben Gessner. (Afton Historical Society Press, 180 pages, 200 color illus., $45.)

Mostly forgotten now, these Minnesota painters were rising stars in the early 20th century, included in the 1939 and 1940 World’s Fairs along with Picasso, Munch and Marcel Duchamp. Well-researched biographies, excellent color reproductions and intimate family photos successfully champion the talents of “searching voyager” Dewey Albinson, “Midwest bohemian” Clement Haupers, “Minnesota old master” Cameron Booth and “blue-collar modernist” Elof Wedin.

MINNESOTA MODERN embodies mid-century Modernism in the work of four brilliant painters. All had studied outside of the region, including Europe, absorbing Modernist advances and trends along the way. All were deeply committed to and lived in Minnesota.

They came from different circumstances, with different expressions of their visions. Clem Haupers was born in St. Paul, Elof Wedin in Sweden, Cameron Booth in Pennsylvania, Dewey Albinson in Minneapolis. Wedin had a day job as a skilled laborer; others taught, Haupers administered. Their works appear in museums and collections throughout the Midwest but rarely in art history texts. MINNESOTA MODERN honors and pays tribute to their unparalleled contributions to the artistic legacy of Minnesota and America at large.