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Early modernism

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

68 works · hang 3470 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. This painting shows a large jug filled with orange flowers on a woven brown surface, with three small oranges placed in front of it. The bottom half of the jug is a brownish-red color, while the top part and handles are a light tan. The jug is centered, with flowers extending slightly to the sides. The flowers in the vase are surrounded by dark green leaves and buds. The wall behind the vase is a light gray color, and the vase casts a light shadow on it.
    Marigolds and TangerinesFélix Vallotton, 1924Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. A square white tile, rotated 90 degrees, crossed by black lines intersecting at 90-degree angles. A few of the shapes thus formed—some partial squares, some rectangles—are colored in a single shade of yellow, blue, black, or red.
    Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and GrayPiet Mondrian, 1921Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. THE TRIUMPH OF UNCLE SAM
    The Triumph of Uncle SamVictor Wilbour, 1917Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  4. 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

First room, south wall

  1. Dark twilight scene of a a brightly illuminated white cottage along the shore of an expansive body of water, seen through a thick of silhouetted trees.
    Fisherman's CottageHarald Oscar Sohlberg, 1906Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. The Sprout Lot, by J. Francis Murphy, 1915
    The Sprout LotJ. Francis Murphy, 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. 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

Second room, south wall

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. Tradition, by Kenyon Cox, 1916
    TraditionKenyon Cox, 1916Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Second room, north wall

  1. Artist: Philip Alexius de László, Sitter: Clara Margaret Cook Kellogg, Current owner: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
    Clara Cook KelloggPhilip Alexius de László, 1929Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
  2. Old Woman, by Chaïm Soutine, c. 1923–24
    Old WomanChaïm Soutine, c. 1923–24Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. This painting depicts a group of men and women created by a collection of angular, geometric shapes with flat planes and blocks of color. One person is standing, and they appear to be a bare-chested man with tan skin and short, dark hair, who is wearing red shorts. He has his hand on his hip and looks off to the right. At his feet appear to be several seated people, although they are only partially visible. Three women with pale skin seem to be facing away from us; we can see their legs, arms, and torsos, although these don't all fit together. The woman on the left has blonde hair, the woman on the right has brown hair, and the woman between them has short black hair. None of their faces are visible. In the middle of this group, at the center of the painting, we see the face and hand of another person who is looking to the left. This person has light brown skin, and we can't see the rest of their body. Surrounding elements include a blue sky with abstract cloud forms, an angular tree on the left, and patches of brown, white, and green on the ground, with one red flower. A tan rectangle under a red triangle on the right edge suggests a building.
    The BathersRoger de La Fresnaye, 1912Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Third room, north wall

  1. Sketch for Mosaic, Wisconsin State Capital, "Justice", by Kenyon Cox, ca. 1912
    Sketch for Mosaic, Wisconsin State Capital, "Justice"Kenyon Cox, ca. 1912Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. In the Generalife, by John Singer Sargent, 1912
    In the GeneralifeJohn Singer Sargent, 1912Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. The River, by Maxime Maufra, 1902
    The RiverMaxime Maufra, 1902Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art