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The Pine Tree, Small Point, Maine

A work made of watercolor with blotting, black pencil, and charcoal on moderately thick, slightly textured, off-white wove paper (trimmed top edge), in original frame.
© 2018 Estate of John Marin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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  • A work made of watercolor with blotting, black pencil, and charcoal on moderately thick, slightly textured, off-white wove paper (trimmed top edge), in original frame.

Date:

1926

Artist:

John Marin
American, 1870-1953

About this artwork

Marin was interested in the experience of seeing, and at times he used painted borders to help translate a particular effect of vision. In this watercolor, the central motif is boldly rendered in strong, bright colors, the complementary relationship of blue and yellow giving the impression of sharp focus. Around the perimeter of the scene, the artist painted with water to dilute and blend pigment, blotting and wiping away the paint to create a blurry border that suggests peripheral vision or even the view through the lens of a camera. This vivid impression of the Maine environment quite literally exemplifies Marin’s statement that “there is a veil in front of the Artist / he’s got to pierce that veil.”

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

John Marin

Title

The Pine Tree, Small Point, Maine

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1926

Medium

Watercolor with blotting, black pencil, and charcoal on moderately thick, slightly textured, off-white wove paper (trimmed top edge), in original frame

Dimensions

44.1 × 55.6 cm (17 3/8 × 21 15/16 in.)

Credit Line

Alfred Stieglitz Collection

Reference Number

1949.565

Copyright

© 2018 Estate of John Marin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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