Artwork
New Mexico No. 2
New Mexico No. 2 is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Marsden Hartley. It dates from 1919 and is held in the collection of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. New Mexico No.
About this work
Overview
New Mexico No. 2 is an oil on canvas painted by American modernist Marsden Hartley in 1919. The work belongs to the collection of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, and exemplifies the artist’s early engagement with Southwestern scenery.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a gently undulating landscape of brown‑toned hills punctuated by a modest structure near the centre, perhaps a house. Sparse greenery emerges in the foreground, while a clear blue sky, dotted with white clouds, crowns the scene, evoking the expansive atmosphere of New Mexico’s terrain.
Technique & Style
Hartley employs bold, gestural brushwork that borders on abstraction, allowing color fields to suggest form rather than render precise detail. The palette of earthy browns, muted greens, and vivid blues creates a layered sense of depth, while the vigorous application of paint adds texture and a dynamic visual rhythm.
History & Provenance
Created shortly after Hartley’s 1918 trip to the American Southwest, the painting reflects his response to the region’s light and topography. It entered the Crystal Bridges Museum’s holdings through acquisition in the early 21st century, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s representation of early 20th‑century American art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marsden Hartley was an American Modernist painter, poet, and essayist. Hartley developed his painting abilities by observing Cubist artists in Paris and Berlin.
Museum
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
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