Artwork
The Dark Mountain, No. 2
The Dark Mountain, No. 2 is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Marsden Hartley. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Marsden Hartley’s 1909 canvas titled The Dark Mountain, No. 2 presents a solitary, somber peak set against a muted sky. The work belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed among the museum’s early‑twentieth‑century American paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a looming mountain rendered in deep, shadowy hues, its summit barely discernible beneath a pale, overcast firmament. In the foreground, jagged rocks and tangled branches suggest a wild, forested edge, evoking a sense of isolation and the austere character of an untamed landscape.
Technique & Style
Hartley employs a heavy impasto, applying paint in thick, uneven strokes that give the surface a tactile, rugged quality. The brushwork is deliberately coarse, emphasizing texture over precise detail and allowing the viewer to feel the raw atmosphere of the scene rather than a literal representation.
History & Provenance
Created in 1909, The Dark Mountain, No. 2 entered the Metropolitan Museum’s holdings through acquisition in the mid‑20th century. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s early career, marking one of Hartley’s explorations of landscape before his later shift toward more abstract and symbolic subjects.
Context
At the time of its execution, Hartley was working within the broader currents of American modernism, where many painters were experimenting with expressive brushwork and a heightened focus on mood. The painting reflects contemporary interests in portraying the emotional resonance of natural forms rather than strict realism.
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.
