In the first decade of the 20th century, American photographer and gallerist Alfred Stieglitz offered a rousing alternative to the European artists then dominating the art world. He showcased the homegrown talents of four bold young painters: Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, Arthur Dove, and John Marin. Despite unmistakable individual styles, these artists shared a daring approach to color and created forms that evoked rather than described nature. Important examples of their work can be viewed in SAM’s new permanent collection installation American Modernism.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s Music—Pink and Blue No. 1 and Marsden Hartley’s Painting No. 49, Berlin are centerpieces of the installation. These two paintings were milestone gifts to the collection by renowned collector, philanthropist, and former SAM trustee, Barney A. Ebsworth, who passed away in April 2018.