John Marin Watercolors: 1916 - 1919

Schoelkopf Gallery is pleased to present John Marin Watercolors: 1916-1919, on view from March 10 to April 21, 2023. John Marin produced his first watercolors in 1888 and later became known internationally as a master of the medium. He was also deeply connected to the land and frequently documented his hiking, boating, and fishing adventures with his portable painting supplies, easel, and paper.

In 1916, Marin participated in the landmark Forum Exhibition of Modern American Painters at The Anderson Galleries, New York, which presented the latest developments from the American avant-garde. While most of the works exhibited retain at least some representational qualities, approximately one third—by Andrew Dasburg, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, Stanton Macdonald-Wright, and Morgan Russell—were daringly abstract and may have inspired Marin to experiment further with nonrepresentational approaches as he continued to define his personal creative lexicon during this period.

Marin’s watercolors from 1916 to 1919 trace the evolution of his desire to synthesize two parallel passions—a faithful commitment to the natural world and the modernist drive toward abstraction.