The Lost Felice c. 1939

Marsden Hartley made this oil painting on masonite. It appears to show a person in an apron, maybe a fisherman or fishmonger, holding fish. The artist's choice of masonite, a type of hardboard made from wood fibers, signals an interest in industrial materials rather than traditional fine art materials like stretched canvas. Notice the bold, flat application of paint, especially the strong outlines and minimal shading. The process suggests a deliberate effort to simplify forms, reducing them to their most essential shapes. The weight of the paint and the limited color palette contribute to the painting's somber mood, while the handling of paint imbues the artwork with its social and cultural significance. Hartley may have used a palette knife for a very flat, even surface texture, typical of industrial processes. This approach challenges the traditional separation of fine art and craft by embracing a more direct, less refined method of painting. By focusing on material, making, and context, we can fully understand how this choice challenges traditional distinctions within art history.