Artwork
Provincetown
Provincetown is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Marsden Hartley. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
He lived in Provincetown for years, so he knew its light and shadows well.
This painting shows a quiet street in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The buildings are simple and the colors are soft. Hartley painted this in 1916, using thick oil paint on a wooden board.
Hartley often captured small-town scenes like this. He lived in Provincetown for years, so he knew its light and shadows well. The board he used was new then—cheap and light, but sturdy.
See it in person at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Overview
Provincetown is a 1916 oil painting on composition board by Marsden Hartley, held at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene street scene in Provincetown, Massachusetts, characterized by simple buildings and muted colors, reflecting Hartley's familiarity with the town's atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Hartley employed thick oil paint on a composition board, a relatively new and practical medium at the time, to capture the town's light and shadows.
History & Provenance
Hartley lived in Provincetown for several years, informing his depiction of the town. The painting is now part of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Marsden Hartley was an American Modernist painter, poet, and essayist. Hartley developed his painting abilities by observing Cubist artists in Paris and Berlin.
