Lighthouse - Marsden Hartley

Painted in Berlin in 1915, this abstract work by Marsden Hartley uses bold geometric shapes and a primary colour palette. It features a central lighthouse motif rendered in a flat, symbolic style characteristic of early American Modernism.

Marsden Hartley painted Lighthouse in 1915 during his residence in Berlin. This period marked a shift in his artistic practice as he moved away from representational subjects toward a symbolic, abstract language. The composition features a central red tower decorated with a white serpentine line and green circles. This vertical form is flanked by two smaller columnar structures and set against a dark blue background. The work belongs to a series of paintings Hartley created while living in Germany during the early years of the First World War. He used a palette of bold red, green, yellow, and white. These colours often referenced military insignia, flags, and regalia. The lighthouse motif appears in several of his works from this era. It acts as a structural anchor for the geometric arrangement. Hartley was influenced by the German Expressionist groups Der Blaue Reiter and Die Brücke. He adopted their use of flat colour planes and heavy outlines. The symmetry of the work creates a sense of formal stability. The concentric circles at the top of the lighthouse suggest a radiating light source or a halo. This gives the object a totemic quality. The application of paint is direct and tactile. Hartley avoided traditional perspective in favour of a flattened pictorial space. This approach was characteristic of the American Modernist circle associated with Alfred Stieglitz. The painting reflects Hartley's interest in the spiritual and mystical qualities of abstract form. He combined these interests with the visual energy of the modern city. Lighthouse remains a clear example of Hartley's ability to synthesise European avant-garde techniques with his own personal symbolism. The arrangement of shapes suggests a heraldic shield or a memorial. This connects the work to the broader themes of loss and memory present in his wartime output.