Seated Women c. 1930s

Mark Tobey made this drawing, Seated Women, with pastel on board. It is an image with a modern sensibility, which can mean many things. But in cultural terms, it describes a deliberate move away from traditional modes of representation, especially the highly finished and polished academic styles, to something sketchy and off-the-cuff. The image creates meaning through the casual intimacy of the scene, and the flattening of the picture plane. The work has the air of modern life. Tobey was an American artist, and he was working in the first half of the 20th century, a period when the art world was transforming. To understand this work better, it is important to consider the social and institutional context in which it was made. Researching the artist’s biography and his place in the art world can give us a better understanding of the meaning of the art.