$47,400
Marsden Hartley (American, 1878-1943) Two Gulls Unsigned, identified on a label from Paul Rosenberg & Co. , New York, affixed to the reverse. Oil on Masonite, 8 3/4 x 20 1/2 in. (22.2 x 52.1 cm), framed. Condition: Retouch u.c. with repair to the reverse. Provenance: Purchased from Paul Rosenberg & Company, New York, by Adele Rosenwald Levy and Dr. David M. Levy, then by family descent to the current owner. N.B. The painting Two Gulls has been examined in person and authenticated by Dr. Gail Levin and will be included in the Marsden Hartley catalogue raisonné. A photo certificate from Dr. Levin accompanies the lot. One of America's foremost Modernists, Marsden Hartley used nature as a jumping-off point, creating landscapes, portraits, and still lifes that pushed beyond physical description to a spiritual dimension. His mature works are characterized by bold, flattened shapes, often employing symbols or emblems. Hartley exhibited at the 291 gallery, where Alfred Stieglitz gave him his first solo show in 1909 and where he was exposed to other American Modernists and to the works of Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso. From 1912 to 1931 Hartley spent much of his time in Europe, primarily in Germany and France. He returned to the United States permanently in 1934, settling back in his home state of Maine. There he drew upon the rugged seacoast and Mount Katahdin for inspiration for his late works. The painting at hand, a later work by Hartley, was purchased from Paul Rosenberg
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2012-02-03
