Seeking to express the freshness and grandeur of the American landscape in a modern style, Marsden Hartley chose the White Mountains in New Hampshire as his subject for this painting. He grew up in nearby Maine and painted many mountain scenes throughout his career. Mountains No. 22 depicts a transitional time of year when the lush greens of summer give way to the fiery colors of autumn. Hartley placed the mountains close to the top edge of the canvas, emphasizing their monumental quality.