Artwork
Tree
Tree is an unspecified painting by the American Folk Art artist Arthur Dove. It dates from 1935 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1935, *Tree* is a small oil‑tempera work by Arthur Dove, a pioneering figure in American abstraction. The painting presents a solitary, rounded form bisected by a dark vertical stroke, set against a diffuse blue‑white background that suggests sky or water. Its edges appear softened and irregular, giving the impression of a shape that is melting or fading into its surroundings.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif can be read as an abstracted tree, though the vertical line functions more as an ambiguous crack or branch, leaving the image open to multiple interpretations. By reducing the natural subject to basic shapes and colors, Dove invites viewers to contemplate the essence of a tree rather than its literal appearance, aligning the work with his broader interest in distilling landscape into pure form.
Technique & Style
Dove employed a mixture of hand‑blended oils and tempera, a practice he often used to achieve a matte, luminous surface. The brushwork is loose and swift, contributing to the painting’s fluid atmosphere. The composition balances a folk‑art sensibility—simple, almost naïve forms—with the modernist drive toward abstraction, reflecting Dove’s unique synthesis of tradition and innovation.
History & Provenance
*Tree* entered the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s modern American holdings. The acquisition underscores Dove’s significance as an early American abstract painter and his influence on the development of abstract landscape painting in the United States.
Artist & collection
Artist
Arthur Garfield Dove (August 2, 1880 – November 23, 1946) was an American artist.
