The artwork entitled “Fisherman’s Last Supper” was created by the artist Marsden Hartley in 1941. It is an embodiment of the Expressionism art movement and is categorized as a genre painting. Influences of Expressionism are evident in the way emotions and subjective perceptions are given form within this piece.
The artwork depicts a group of five figures seated at a dining table, presumably fishermen, given the nautical theme. The subjects are rendered with thick, delineated strokes, and stylized features that convey an intensity of form and color characteristic of Expressionist works. Their faces exhibit stoic, almost mask-like expressions, indicative of Hartley’s focus on emotional representation over realism.
Before the figures is the table, set with plates of food that draw the viewer’s attention along the horizontal plane of the composition. The color palette is dominated by somber hues, punctuated by spots of vibrant reds and pinks, adding to the emotional tenor of the scene. Behind the diners, the wall is adorned with a singular painting of a ship, which, coupled with the deep blue backdrop, reinforces the marine identity of the subjects. The stark simplicity of the elements within the scene and the exaggerated forms used to represent the figures and objects are hallmarks of Hartley’s style and the broader Expressionist approach to conveying inner turmoil and psychological depth through art.
