The Last of New England—The Beginning of New Mexico

1918–19

In this painting, Marsden Hartley depicted an imagined scene in which the fallen trees of a New England forest in the foreground transition to the golden hills of New Mexico beyond. Weary of the East Coast, Hartley spent 18 months in the Southwest in 1918–19, believing that he could find rejuvenation in nature. Here, thick black lines define the Southwestern landscape, which he saw as alive with expressive potential.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Marsden Hartley (American, 1877–1943)

Date

1918–19

Medium

Oil on paperboard

Dimensions

61.6 × 76.1 cm (24 1/4 × 29 15/16 in.)

Origin

United States

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Alfred Stieglitz Collection