Painting No. 50 - Marsden Hartley

An abstract composition from Marsden Hartley's Berlin period, featuring military symbols and geometric patterns in bold colours.

Marsden Hartley painted this work during his residence in Berlin between 1914 and 1915. It belongs to a series of abstract compositions often referred to as the War Motifs or German Officer paintings. These works are characterised by their use of military insignia, heraldry, and personal symbols. Hartley was influenced by the pageantry of pre-war Berlin and the visual language of the German military. The composition is strictly symmetrical and built upon a black ground. It features a central white triangle that suggests a tent or a stylised figure. Within and around this shape, Hartley arranged various motifs including red circles, yellow zig-zags, and striped patterns. The upper portion contains curved forms resembling epaulettes or wings, decorated with small symbols and numbers. White polka dots on a red field appear in the upper corners, contrasting with the dark background. Hartley developed this style after moving away from his earlier interest in spiritualism and the theories of Wassily Kandinsky. He focused instead on the physical objects and uniforms he observed in the city. The use of numbers and letters in the work likely refers to specific regiments or personal associations. This painting represents a period where Hartley combined European avant-garde techniques with a personal symbolic vocabulary. The application of paint is flat and direct, with heavy outlines defining the geometric segments.