Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Marin, Jr.

Marin, John C. and Norma

he: died 1988

Explore selected works

Bold strokes and textured squiggles of light teal, muted peacock blue, chestnut-brown, and gray create the impression of a churning sea beneath an oyster-white sky in this abstracted painting. Near the center of the composition, lime-green triangles against a larger patch of slate gray march toward the high horizon line. More green triangles line the lower edge of the canvas. The upper left is filled by a tall, sloping mound of gray and smoky purple layered with strokes of black. The artist signed and dated the painting in the lower right, “Marin 38.”
John Marin, Grey Sea, 1938, oil on canvas, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Marin, Jr., 1987.19.1

Grey Sea

John Marin · 1938 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1987.19.1

The image displays a cityscape with various buildings viewed from an elevated point. The tallest building with a dome stands out in the upper left quadrant. The horizon is not clearly visible due to the tall structures. The artwork features a loose, abstract style with soft brushstrokes creating an impressionistic effect. The color palette includes pastel hues like blues, pinks, and grays blending into each other. The bottom part shows darker, more defined strokes possibly representing street-level elements and figures. Farther in the distance, the buildings fade into the sky with light brushwork dissipating into pale blues and whites.
John Marin, View of New York [verso], c. 1913, watercolor on wove paper, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Marin, Jr., 1987.19.2.b

View of New York [verso]

John Marin · c. 1913 · watercolor on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.19.2.b

The image depicts a cityscape with towering buildings seen from a street-level perspective. The horizon is not clearly defined and the focus is on the vertical structures. The painting features loose and fluid brushstrokes typical of watercolor, with soft layers of color blending together. The color palette includes muted pastel tones of blues, pinks, grays, reds, and tans, creating an ethereal and impressionistic effect.
John Marin, Woolworth Building under Construction [recto], c. 1911, watercolor on wove paper, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Marin, Jr., 1987.19.2.a

Woolworth Building under Construction [recto]

John Marin · c. 1911 · watercolor on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1987.19.2.a