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Early modernism

The first decades of the twentieth century, when artists broke with the academy.

68 works · hang 3204 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. The Hill Field, by Arthur Wesley Dow, 1908-1910
    The Hill FieldArthur Wesley Dow, 1908-1910Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. The image is a painting of a woman's nude upper body extending from her head down to her hips, depicted in a standing position with her head slightly tilted to one side. Her facial features are distinct with a strong brow, prominent nose, and full lips, and her long dark hair cascades down to her shoulders. The background features abstract brushstrokes in dark blues and browns, blending into the lighter brown tone of the canvas, enhancing the figure's prominence in the composition. The woman appears naturalistic, with no jewelry or other objects visible in the painting.
    NudeRoger de La Fresnaye, 1910Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Hooded Warblers, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom, by Gladys Thayer, ca. 1900-1909
    Hooded Warblers, study for book Concealing Coloration in the Animal KingdomGladys Thayer, ca. 1900-1909Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  4. October (cover illustration for Harper's Magazine), by William Clarke Rice, 1903
    October (cover illustration for Harper's Magazine)William Clarke Rice, 1903Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

First room, south wall

  1. Wrestlers in a Circus, by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1909
    Wrestlers in a CircusErnst Ludwig Kirchner, 1909Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Head of a Young Girl, by Lucia Fairchild Fuller, ca. 1900
    Head of a Young GirlLucia Fairchild Fuller, ca. 1900Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. Calligraphic Interior, by H. Lyman Saÿen, ca. 1915
    Calligraphic InteriorH. Lyman Saÿen, ca. 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  4. This print depicts a grayscale desert landscape with a prominent saguaro cactus to the left. In the background, rocky mountains are visible in the darkness. The sky shows a crescent moon and a bright star through an opening in the soft gray clouds. Sparse desert vegetation is faintly visible on the ground, and more cacti can be seen in the distance.
    New Moon and Evening StarGeorge Elbert Burr, c. 1932Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, south wall

  1. Dancing Sailors, by Charles Demuth, 1917
    Dancing SailorsCharles Demuth, 1917Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Alfred Henry Maurer
    Woman in BlackAlfred Henry Maurer, (c. 1904)Courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution
  3. My Day at Home, by William H. Howe, 1906
    My Day at HomeWilliam H. Howe, 1906Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Second room, north wall

  1. Fight Between a Tiger and a Buffalo, by Henri Rousseau, 1908
    Fight Between a Tiger and a BuffaloHenri Rousseau, 1908Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, by Charles Burchfield, December 1917
    Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter NightCharles Burchfield, December 1917Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. The image shows a landscape drawing with buildings, trees, and a winding path or water feature. The drawing is done in black charcoal on brownish background paper, creating a monochromatic color palette.
    Footpaths and Pavilion in the Dresden Grosser GartenErnst Ludwig Kirchner, c. 1909Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Third room, north wall

  1. Watercolor no. 31, Landscape with Clouds, by Allen Tucker, ca. 1930
    Watercolor no. 31, Landscape with CloudsAllen Tucker, ca. 1930Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. Mother and Child, by Gari Melchers, ca. 1920
    Mother and ChildGari Melchers, ca. 1920Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum