On the Beach

1896–1897

Watercolor with graphite underdrawing on wove paper

34.9 × 25.4 cm (13.7 × 10 in)

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In the collection of Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia — check current display status with the museum.

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Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

In the mid-1890s, Prendergast began painting complex, multifigure arrangements of the Massachusetts seashore. This scene shows the wide, placid beach of Revere, just north of Boston, offsetting the vertical format of the paper. The zigzag of silhouetted figures across the sand catches the eye amid the shimmering light and reflections. On the Beach reflects the popularity of seashore leisure time in America, a novelty brought about by labor reforms and public transportation.

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