Reginald Marsh (American, 1898-1954). Fifth Avenue, No. 1, 1938 . Tempera on Masonite. 29-3/4 x 24 inches (75.6 x 61.0 c...

Description

Reginald Marsh (American, 1898-1954)
Fifth Avenue, No. 1, 1938
Tempera on Masonite
29-3/4 x 24 inches (75.6 x 61.0 cm)
Signed and dated lower left: Reginald Marsh / 1938

Property from the Collection of a Distinguished Academic Woman

PROVENANCE:
William Benton;
Estate of the above;
Christie's, New York, May 21, 2008, lot 54;
Acquired by the present owner from the above.

EXHIBITED:
Newport Harbor Art Museum (now Orange County Museum of Art), Newport Beach, California (and elsewhere), 1973.

Reginald Marsh, born in 1898 to American expats in Paris, is renowned for his depictions of New York City's inhabitants immersed in their leisure pursuits. Benefitting from a comfortable inheritance linked to his grandfather's success in the Chicago meatpacking business, Marsh established his workspace on 14th Street, adjacent to Union Square. This vantage point allowed him an intimate view of the bustling activity characteristic of New York in the 1920s and 1930s-a stark shift from the rural backdrop of 19th-century American life. Immersed in this burgeoning metropolitan scene, Marsh dedicated himself to capturing its essence. His canvases pulsate with the vitality of communal experiences, ranging from the vibrant allure of burlesque performances to the dense throngs of subway passengers, the eager 14th Street shoppers, the colorful characters of sideshows, or the carefree bathers at Coney Island.

In Fifth Avenue, No. 1, of 1938, Reginald Marsh captures the essence of New York City's grandeur during an era of contrast and change. Masterfully employing the tempera medium, Marsh delivers a scene replete with the vivacity and complexity of urban life and is a testament to his mastery in tempera-a painstaking medium that harks back to ancient traditions yet is infused with modernity under Marsh's deft hand. With tempera's distinctive matte finish and capacity for fine detail, Marsh expertly conveys the feel and sheen of 1930s fashion.

Marsh's brushwork is both deliberate and richly expressive, allowing for a textured finish that gives a palpable sense of movement to the New York City streets. The technique leverages the quick-drying properties of tempera, enabling the artist to create layered color effects with a level of precision that breathes life into the urban spectacle. The medium's historical connotations are revitalized in Marsh's practice, reflecting the contemporaneity of his subject matter. Marilyn Cohen remarks on this intersection, observing, "Marsh's application of tempera was both a nod to the past and a reflection of his times, marrying tradition with the frenetic pace of contemporary urban life." (Whitney Museum of American Art, Reginald Marsh's New York, New York, 1987, p. 132)

Fifth Avenue, No. 1 delves into the voyeuristic elements that pervade much of Marsh's oeuvre. A woman, presumably of high social standing given her sophisticated attire, is portrayed mid-motion against the backdrop of an equally glamorous mannequin in a New York store window. The viewer becomes an unseen observer of this 'film still,' a glimpse into the layers of narrative that each passerby carries. The contrast between the figures' elegance and the bustling street existing right outside the boundaries of this composition accentuates the complexities of the urban experience.

Marsh's scene embodies New York during the Depression, a time when the city was rife with economic extremes. The narrative suggests a dance between the display of wealth and the underlying social realities of the time that exist but are unseen in the present work, encapsulating the delicate balance of appearances and survival. Scholar Graham Thompson sums up this duality by noting, "In Marsh's art, New York is more than a city; it is a theatre where each person plays a part, knowingly or not, in the grand drama of life." (Art and the City: New York, 1920-1940, Chicago, Illinois, 1993, p. 58)

Through Fifth Avenue, No. 1, Marsh provides not just a visual representation but also a social commentary, inviting us to consider the lived experiences of its subjects against the backdrop of one of the world's most famous metropolises and stands as a significant contribution to the canon of American art, illuminating the paradoxes of New York City life and the observer's role within it.


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