Untitled 1940 - 1946

This small watercolor is by Arthur Dove, a key figure in American modernism, and was made sometime during his career. Dove sought to capture the essence of the natural world through abstraction. "I would like to take paint and make something that is purely American," Dove once said, reflecting his desire to forge a unique national artistic identity, separate from European traditions. His personal experiences greatly influenced his art; he spent much time in nature, which fueled his abstract expressions. Consider how the large, simplified forms of the brown and black shapes may be his emotional response to the landscape, rather than a literal representation. The strokes of blues and browns hint at sky, land, and water and evoke a sense of place without defining one. While Dove resisted rigid interpretations of his art, the interplay between abstraction and nature in his work speaks to our longing for connection with the natural world, mediated through his personal vision.