Collection of Numbers, Designs and Letters Seen by Me at the Beginning of the War in Berlin–Military in Nature (ca. 1915)

Marsden Hartley's painting, titled "Collection of Numbers, Designs and Letters Seen by Me at the Beginning of the War in Berlin–Military in Nature," created around 1915, is a compelling exploration of symbolic and abstract imagery that reflects the artist’s impressions of military motifs during World War I, seen through his eyes in Berlin.This artwork features a stark and striking composition where numbers, letters, and geometric shapes intermingle across the canvas. Dominating the center is a large, eye-catching numeral "9" set within a concentric, radiating target or emblem, symbolizing perhaps a focus or importance. This circular motif is flanked by wavelike patterns in green and white, suggesting movement or perhaps echoing the flags and banners often associated with military parades.On the lower half of the canvas, an array of bold, block colors segment the space, framing numbers and letters such as "6," "8," and "4" in varied sizes and vibrant hues of blue, red, and yellow. These elements might be seen as representations of soldiers' identifiers or regimental numbers, imbuing the painting with a sense of ordered chaos.Abstract floral or starburst designs punctuate the composition, rendered in white and red, contributing to the war-time aesthetic by possibly symbolizing explosions or bursts of gunfire. The overall effect is a dramatic, somewhat unsettling mosaic of war icons, portrayed not with realism, but with intense emotive power and graphic boldness.