Marsden Hartley

by Barbara Haskell

Book by Haskell, Barbara

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1980

Reviews

[Pholsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Haskell has written a masterful account of Hartley's life and art. It was truly interesting to view the many styles Hartley experimented with, to understand how his childhood traumas impacted many of the decisions that affected his interpersonal skills, his long bouts of depression and anger over the financial instability from his artistic career, and his final victories--albeit close to his death, of finally earning honors from a number of prominent museums and galleries. He died with $500 in his home, and $10,000 in the bank--which he never withdrew. It was moving to see some of his obsessions in life, like the 18+paintings of Mt. Ktaadn, First Snow composed around the 1940s; each offering variations in colors, erasures, and scale. His motivation was based on artist Hiroshige and his many painting of Mt. Fujiyamas (80). The format of this book also adds to the positive experience of engaging with it--clear subtitles, numerous black/white images through 90% of the book, and color plates at the back section. The annotated notes are stellar. The language is straightforward, and there is no academic lingo to stumble over for the lay reader. I loved this book so much that I am sending a thank you note to Haskell.