Portrait Of A German Officer

From the metropolitan museum of art marsden hartley portrait of a german officer 1914 oil on canvas 68 1 4 41 3 8 in.

Portrait of a german officer. It expresses the rising german nationalism that he witnessed while living in berlin. Calls the verso the palace of ubu roi and discusses it in relation to rouault s studies for etchings that illustrated ambroise vollard s les réincarnations du père ubu. Done in oil on canvas the portrait depicts the abstract figure of an imperial german officer as being composed entirely of military decorations and badges of rank.

Portrait of a german officer. Marsden hartley portrait of a german officer detail 1914 oil on canvas 173 4 x 105 1 cm alfred stieglitz collection the metropolitan museum of art new york the letter e appears twice in the composition. The painting s collagelike appearance dramatic color and emotional brushwork attest to hartley s skillful synthesis of cubism and german expressionism.

The painting is currently on display at the metropolitan museum of art. 43 recto 44 verso ill. 19 20 24 115 nos.

The red curvilinear e on a gold background in the middle of the painting right is a battalion marker that refers to the bayerische eisenbahn the name of von freyburg s railroad battalion. This monumental painting is the centerpiece of a series that evokes the dynamism pageantry and danger of life in berlin during world war i. Marsden hartley portrait of a german officer detail 1914 oil on canvas 173 4 x 105 1 cm alfred stieglitz collection the metropolitan museum of art new york hartley s painting is also more than a portrait of an individual.