The Christmas Tree

A descendant of distinguished American families dating back to the Mayflower, Fairfield Porter was raised in an affluent New England family. He studied fine arts at Harvard and, after graduating, joined the Art Students’ League in New York City. Working at the height of the Abstract Expressionism, Porter nonetheless remained a representational artist throughout his career. Most of his paintings portray people in domestic settings or beautiful landscapes. Porter experienced a remarkably unsentimental upbringing: his parents spent little time with the children and his family did not celebrate Christmas, or even birthdays. This emotional dearth is contrasted by Porter’s lithograph, a colorful work depicting a romanticized holiday scene in which the power of family life and tradition is conveyed by a home that evokes warmth, love, and nostalgia.

Moss Davis '21