#19380 Marsden Hartley (1877-1943)

The composition presents a still life arrangement centered around a vase holding several stylized floral forms. The background is dominated by a deep, saturated indigo hue, applied with visible brushstrokes that contribute to a sense of depth and texture. A horizontal plane, rendered in muted gray tones, serves as the immediate foreground, providing a grounding element for the verticality of the vase and flowers.
The vase itself is depicted in white, its form simplified into geometric shapes. Decorative motifs – suggesting berries and leaves – are painted on its surface with a limited palette of red, black, and green. The floral elements emerging from the vase are highly abstracted; they do not resemble naturalistic representations. Instead, petals are rendered as angular planes and concentric circles, creating an almost mechanical or symbolic impression. One flower displays a vibrant pink hue with a yellow center, while another is predominantly white. Green foliage provides contrast against the lighter tones of the blooms.
The artist’s use of color is notable for its deliberate restriction and intensity. The starkness of the indigo background emphasizes the brightness of the flowers and vase, creating a visual tension. The limited palette contributes to an overall sense of formality and restraint.
Subtly, theres a feeling of artificiality conveyed through the stylized depiction of both the flora and the vessel. This could be interpreted as a commentary on constructed beauty or a rejection of naturalistic representation in favor of symbolic meaning. The geometric simplification suggests a desire to distill the essence of these objects into their most fundamental forms, moving beyond mere imitation towards an exploration of shape and color relationships. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation, inviting viewers to consider the nature of representation and the artist’s deliberate choices in constructing this still life.