Artwork
Still Life No. 3
Still Life No. 3 is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Marsden Hartley. It dates from 1923 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Still Life No.
About this work
This painting shows a still life with simple objects.
It's an oil on canvas work from 1923.
The artist used bold colors and thick brushstrokes, which makes the painting interesting, and it's also notable that Marsden Hartley was experimenting with different styles during this period.
You can learn more about the artist's style by looking at the work of Marsden Hartley.
Overview
Still Life No. 3 is an oil painting executed on canvas in 1923 by American modernist Marsden Hartley. The work is part of the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it is displayed among other early‑twentieth‑century American paintings. Its modest dimensions and straightforward composition place it within Hartley’s series of still‑life experiments during the early 1920s.
Subject & Meaning
The composition reflects a contemplative approach to the still‑life genre, typical of his interest in distilling visual experience to its essentials.
The canvas presents a modest arrangement of everyday objects, rendered without narrative embellishment. By focusing on simple forms, Hartley emphasizes the material presence of the items, inviting viewers to consider the visual qualities of ordinary things rather than any symbolic story. The composition reflects a contemplative approach to the still‑life genre, typical of his interest in distilling visual experience to its essentials.
Technique & Style
Hartley employs a palette of vivid, saturated hues applied with confident, impasto brushwork. The thick layers of paint create a tactile surface that catches light, while the bold color contrasts heighten the spatial separation of the objects. This handling signals a period of stylistic experimentation for the artist, as he blended elements of modernist abstraction with the traditional still‑life format.
History & Provenance
Created in 1923, the painting entered the Art Institute of Chicago’s holdings through a mid‑twentieth‑century acquisition, though the exact path of ownership prior to the museum is not extensively documented. Its presence in the institute’s collection underscores the institution’s commitment to representing pivotal figures of American modernism, and it remains a reference point for Hartley’s work in the early post‑World War I era.
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.
Still life
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Boîte à lait, carafe et bol
A Round Table
Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle
Pink Onions
Still Life with Apples and Peaches
The Vase of Tulips
Natură statică cu legume
Fruit and a Jug on a Table
Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle
Still Life With Cherries And Peaches