Tree, Small Point, Maine
c. 1915
Medium
watercolor over graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 42.6 x 36.6 cm (16 3/4 x 14 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of John Marin, Jr.
Accession Number
1986.54.56
Art Historical Context
**Tree, Small Point, Maine (c. 1915) by John Marin captures the rugged beauty of the Maine coastline, a recurring muse for this pioneering American modernist. Painted during a pivotal period in Marin's career, the work reflects his summers spent at Small Point, where he sketched directly from nature. As a leader in early 20th-century American art, Marin blended Post-Impressionist vitality with Cubist fragmentation, transforming static landscapes into pulsing visions of light, wind, and sea. Executed in watercolor over graphite on wove paper (42.6 x 36.6 cm), the piece showcases Marin's master...
About the Artist
John Marin
John Marin (1870-1953) was a pioneering American modernist known for his dynamic watercolors and oils of the Maine coast and New York City. A late bloomer who didn't commit to art until nearly 30, Marin developed a distinctive style combining European modernism with American subjects, capturing the energy of skyscrapers and the elemental power of the sea through fractured planes, vibrant color, an...