The Lawrence Tree
The Lawrence Tree is a painting by Georgia O'Keeffe in 1929 of a large ponderosa pine tree on the D. H. Lawrence Ranch in Taos County, New Mexico.[1][2] The tree still survives (as of 2016), and may be visited at the Lawrence Ranch.
| The Lawrence Tree | |
|---|---|
 The Lawrence Tree, 1929 | |
| Artist | Georgia O'Keeffe |
| Year | 1929 |
| Medium | Painting |
| Subject | Ponderosa pine |
| Location | Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut |
| Accession | 1981.23 |
| Website | Wadsworth Atheneum |
Background
D. H. Lawrence and Frieda Lawrence lived in a cabin near the tree, under which the author sat on a weathered bench and wrote on a table.[1][2]
The big pine tree in front of the house, standing still and unconcerned and alive...the overshadowing tree whose green top one never looks at... One goes out of the door and the tree-trunk is there, like a guardian angel. The tree-trunk, the long work table and the fence!
— D. H. Lawrence[1]
Overview
In 1929, O'Keeffe stayed with Mabel Dodge Luhan, who was a patroness who brought modernists to the Taos art colony. While there she visited the ranch and painted the tree. The perspective was captured by lying down on the bench and looking into the night sky through the branches of the tree.[1][2] Because of the perspective, it could be hung different ways. It is displayed upside down on the website for the Wadsworth Atheneum, who owns the painting.[2]
References
- Mara Kerke (September 18, 2014). "The famous tree at the D.H. Lawrence Ranch". News, University of New Mexico. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
- Maurer, Rachel. "The D. H. Lawrence Ranch". University of New Mexico. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2009.