With its improvisational spirit, jazz has vastly influenced classical and pop music. But it's less often noted that quite a few visual artists have been inspired by jazz, from Henri Matisse to Romare Bearden. Another such artist was Ralston Crawford, whose work is the subject of an exhibition through Jan. 7 at the Sheldon Art Galleries.

"Ralston Crawford and Jazz" features photographs, prints, paintings, drawings and films that celebrate the vibrant, storied culture of the Crescent City. The exhibition covers work created after 1949.

In an essay included in the catalog, exhibition curator and Sheldon Art Galleries director Olivia Lahs-Gonzales observes that Crawford "did not reference music in a literal way, but instead its influence can be seen in his use of tones and textures, and in the rhythm and syncopation of the pictorial 'structures' that he built."

Born in Canada in 1906, Crawford was a well-traveled man with a sharp eye, a sure hand and a knack for both abstract and representational art. In some of his paintings, it's easy to see the influence of Matisse and Picasso, and there's much to enjoy in his prints, drawings and films. But the photography stands out for its formal beauty and its atmospheric grace.

Particularly evocative is "Men on Sidewalk with Shadows," shot from a high angle. Two men in hats pass each other on a street, as a third man wearing a cap gazes beyond the frame. Perfectly yet hauntingly lighted, it's a view of urban alienation to rival the famous Edward Hopper painting "Nighthawks."

Lighter in tone, but equally as entrancing, is a photograph of New Orleans musician "Wooden" Joe Nicholas playing a saxophone as his granddaughter smiles at something unseen. You can't help but wonder what's caught her attention.

"Torn Signs" captures the ephemeral poetry of street posters, including one for the forgotten Natalie Wood movie "Penelope."

Crawford, who died in 1978, was largely neglected by critics. But in recent decades, he has been recognized as a significant practitioner of modernism — and "Ralston Crawford and Jazz" certainly makes a strong case for that assessment.

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"Ralston Crawford and Jazz"

When Noon-8 p.m. Tuesday, noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and beginning an hour before performances and during intermission; through Jan. 7 • Where Sheldon Art Galleries, 3648 Washington Boulevard • How much Free • More info 314-533-9900; thesheldon.org

Barbara Haskell, curator of the Whitney Museum of American Art, will lecture on Crawford's work • When 6 p.m. Nov. 17 • Where Sheldon Art Galleries • How much Free