White Flower c. 1917

Here we have Marsden Hartley’s ‘White Flower’, a painting he probably made sometime in the 1920s or 30s with oil on board. I love how he's gone straight in with these big clunky brushstrokes, no messing about trying to blend everything perfectly. You can really see the process, the way he's layering up the paint to create this solid, almost sculptural form. The flower itself is like a collection of chunky, faceted planes, each one catching the light in a different way. It's so physical, you can almost feel the weight of the paint, particularly in those bold daubs of white on the petals, set against that moody, navy background. And then there’s that gorgeous orange vase, glowing like a little beacon in the gloom. Look at how Hartley lets the brushstrokes dance around the surface, giving it this incredible energy. It’s like he’s not just painting a flower, but also capturing the whole experience of seeing it, of feeling its presence in the room. I see Cezanne in there, maybe some Milton Avery too. But mostly, I see Hartley just doing his own thing, wrestling with the paint, and making something totally unique.