Artwork
Madison Square, Snow
Madison Square, Snow is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Allen Tucker. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: A. Tucker / 04
About this work
Allen Tucker's 1904 oil shows Madison Square under fresh snow, bare branches framing a lone two-story house beneath weak winter light. Painted in his late twenties during a snowy January, it leans the house slightly askew and keeps the brushwork loose, skipping fine detail.
History & Provenance
While the work's location and transfer history are documented, the provided records do not list specific public exhibitions or an accession number.
Madison Square, Snow was painted by Allen Tucker in 1904. Following its creation, the work remained with the artist until his death in 1939, after which it passed by inheritance to his wife, Mrs. Allen Tucker. She held the painting until her death in 1944, when it entered the Allen Tucker Memorial, an institution established that same year in New York.
The Allen Tucker Memorial retained the canvas until 1971, when it was given to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as a gift.
Madison Square, Snow is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The painting entered the museum's holdings in 1971 as a gift from the Allen Tucker Memorial. This New York-based organization had previously acquired the work through inheritance from the artist's wife, Mrs. Allen Tucker, following the death of the creator, Allen Tucker, in 1939. The Memorial itself was established in 1944 to manage the artist's legacy.
While the work's location and transfer history are documented, the provided records do not list specific public exhibitions or an accession number.
Legacy
The work's inclusion in the National Gallery of Art's collection, following its 1971 donation by the Allen Tucker Memorial, underscores its recognized significance within the museum's holdings and has contributed to its ongoing reputation as a representative example of Tucker's landscape practice. As a 1904 oil on canvas depicting a snow-covered Madison Square, it is referenced in studies of early twentieth‑century American painting, reflecting its enduring presence in scholarly discourse.
Overview
Allen Tucker's 1904 oil painting, Madison Square, Snow, presents a winter landscape rendered on canvas. The work captures a quiet moment in Madison Square, featuring a solitary two-story house and a tree under a fresh blanket of snow. The composition is bathed in the subdued illumination characteristic of a winter day, reflecting the artist's interest in atmospheric effects.
Subject & Meaning
This painting portrays a specific urban scene transformed by winter. A single house, depicted with a slight tilt, appears nestled within the snowy environment, framed by the stark branches of a bare tree. The overall impression is one of stillness and solitude, enhanced by the soft, weak light of a cold day. Tucker emphasizes the quiet beauty of the city under snow, rather than its bustling activity.
Technique & Style
Tucker employed oil on canvas with a distinctive approach to brushwork in Madison Square, Snow. His application of paint is loose yet maintains clarity, avoiding minute details in favor of broader impressions. The slightly askew rendering of the house contributes to a sense of organic integration with the landscape, suggesting a scene that is both observed and subtly interpreted by the artist.
Context
Created by Allen Tucker in his late twenties during a snowy January, this painting reflects a particular period in his artistic development. The artist explored similar winter themes in other works. Viewers can observe Tucker's snowy landscapes alongside pieces by John Twachtman at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., offering a comparative perspective on American Impressionism.
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