#19387 Marsden Hartley (1877-1943)

The composition presents a group gathered around a long table, seemingly engaged in a meal. Five figures dominate the foreground, seated at the table and facing the viewer. Their expressions are largely impassive, bordering on melancholic or detached; there is little interaction visible between them. Each individual holds a plate laden with what appears to be tomato-based food.
The artist employed a limited palette of blues, reds, whites, and blacks, contributing to an overall sense of austerity and perhaps even confinement. The figures are rendered in a simplified, almost schematic style, lacking detailed features or nuanced modeling. This stylistic choice emphasizes their collective presence over individual identity. Their clothing is similarly stark – simple garments in solid colors – further reinforcing this impression of uniformity.
The table itself is the central organizing element, stretching across the horizontal plane and anchoring the composition. The word MENE is prominently displayed on the tablecloth, repeated twice, which immediately introduces a layer of symbolic complexity. This inscription evokes biblical references (specifically Daniel’s interpretation of the handwriting on the wall), suggesting themes of impending doom or divine judgment.
The background is equally austere: a pale blue wall punctuated by framed pictures – one depicting a ship at sea, another indistinct. These details offer scant narrative clues but contribute to the feeling of enclosure and isolation. The ship might symbolize hope or escape, yet its placement in the distant background suggests an unattainable ideal.
Here we see a deliberate distancing from naturalism; the scene is not intended as a straightforward depiction of everyday life. Instead, it appears to be a symbolic representation of human existence – perhaps reflecting themes of fate, collective responsibility, and the weight of history. The lack of overt emotion in the figures’ faces, combined with the ominous inscription on the table, creates an atmosphere of quiet dread and foreboding.