Revere Beach

A crowd of people in bright, varied dress fills a rocky stretch of shoreline, gathered beside a sweep of blue water under a sky layered with clouds. The scattered groups suggest a lively public outing, with the water stretching out behind them and the uneven rocks underfoot giving the scene an informal, open-air feeling. Maurice Brazil Prendergast completed this watercolor on wove paper titled Revere Beach in 1896, and it is held today at the National Gallery of Art. Prendergast, an American artist who lived from 1858 to 1924, worked within Post-impressionism and also created the piece known as Autumn. One detail worth noticing is how the clothing colors of the many figures stand out sharply against the muted tones of the rocks and sky, giving the beach scene its sense of movement and crowded energy.