Red Tree

Marsden Hartley, Red Tree, 1910, oil on fiberboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Flora E. H. Shawan from the Ferdinand Howald Collection, 1966.33.1
Marsden Hartley, Red Tree, 1910, oil on fiberboard, 14 x 11 7⁄8 in. (35.6 x 30.3 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Flora E. H. Shawan from the Ferdinand Howald Collection, 1966.33.1
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Artwork Details

Title
Red Tree
Artist
Date
1910
Location
Dimensions
14 x 11 7⁄8 in. (35.6 x 30.3 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Flora E. H. Shawan from the Ferdinand Howald Collection
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on fiberboard
Classifications
Subjects
  • Landscape — road — path
  • Landscape — tree
  • Abstract
Object Number
1966.33.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1966.33.1

Artwork Description

Marsden Hartley’s mother died when he was young, and he found comfort and companionship in the countryside around his home. This affinity for nature remained with him his entire life, and he traveled to many countries to paint the landscape. (Kornhauser, Marsden Hartley, 2002) He spent the summer of 1910 in North Lovell, Maine, creating brightly colored images of the mountains and forests. In Red Tree, Hartley placed the viewer at the top of a hill, looking down through the dense trees to a small clearing. The bulbous shapes, curved trunks, and vivid colors create an intense scene that reflects the artist’s restless energy.