Floor plan

Style galleriesEarly modernism

Early modernism

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.
The Hill Field, by Arthur Wesley Dow, 1908-1910
The Bride, by Gari Melchers, ca. 1907
Study for mosaic in the Wisconsin State Capital "Government and Liberty", by Kenyon Cox, ca. 1912
Admiral Sir David Beatty, Lord Beatty, by Cecilia Beaux, ca. 1920
This is a painting showing two people in nature. The person on the left appears to be running towards the right, with one leg in the air and their arms outstretched. They have tan, golden-toned skin, blond hair, and golden fabric draped loosely around them, billowing backward as they run. On the right is a pale person standing upright in a tree, their arms outstretched. They appear intertwined with the tree, with their feet nestled in the light brown trunk and their head and hands covered in olive-green leaves. The background features indistinct brown shapes against a clear blue sky.
Artist: Marion H. Beckett, Sitter: Theresa Helburn, Current owner: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

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

First room, north wall

  1. 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
  2. The Hill Field, by Arthur Wesley Dow, 1908-1910
    The Hill FieldArthur Wesley Dow, 1908-1910Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. The Bride, by Gari Melchers, ca. 1907
    The BrideGari Melchers, ca. 1907Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  4. Study for mosaic in the Wisconsin State Capital "Government and Liberty", by Kenyon Cox, ca. 1912
    Study for mosaic in the Wisconsin State Capital "Government and Liberty"Kenyon Cox, ca. 1912Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

First room, south wall

  1. Admiral Sir David Beatty, Lord Beatty, by Cecilia Beaux, ca. 1920
    Admiral Sir David Beatty, Lord BeattyCecilia Beaux, ca. 1920Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. This is a painting showing two people in nature. The person on the left appears to be running towards the right, with one leg in the air and their arms outstretched. They have tan, golden-toned skin, blond hair, and golden fabric draped loosely around them, billowing backward as they run. On the right is a pale person standing upright in a tree, their arms outstretched. They appear intertwined with the tree, with their feet nestled in the light brown trunk and their head and hands covered in olive-green leaves. The background features indistinct brown shapes against a clear blue sky.
    Apollo and DaphneJohn Singer Sargent, c. 1916/1919Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Artist: Marion H. Beckett, Sitter: Theresa Helburn, Current owner: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
    Theresa HelburnMarion H. Beckett, 1922Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Second room, south wall

  1. On the Beach, No. 3, by Maurice Prendergast, c. 1915–18
    On the Beach, No. 3Maurice Prendergast, c. 1915–18Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Artist: Ossip Perelma, Sitter: Frank Brett Noyes, Current owner: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
    Frank Brett NoyesOssip Perelma, 1917Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
  3. The Hills, by Preston Dickinson, ca. 1919
    The HillsPreston Dickinson, ca. 1919Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Second room, north wall

  1. Still Life, by Preston Dickinson, c. 1924
    Still LifePreston Dickinson, c. 1924Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Mountain Landscape with Fir Trees, by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1918/19
    Mountain Landscape with Fir TreesErnst Ludwig Kirchner, 1918/19Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. 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
  4. Dutton Lumber Yard, by Thomas Weeks Barrett, 1942
    Dutton Lumber YardThomas Weeks Barrett, 1942Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Third room, north wall

  1. 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
  2. Child Reading, by H. Lyman Saÿen, 1915-1918
    Child ReadingH. Lyman Saÿen, 1915-1918Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum