Inlet with Sailboat, Maine c. 1913 - 1915

Editor: We’re looking at Maurice Prendergast’s "Inlet with Sailboat, Maine," a watercolor from around 1913-1915. I’m immediately drawn to the slightly muted colors; it’s a very soft and serene scene. What's your take on it? Curator: It’s interesting you mention that, because Prendergast's choice of subject matter reflects the burgeoning tourism industry and changing leisure activities of the early 20th century. Maine, with its picturesque coastline, became a popular destination for the middle class seeking an escape. Do you notice how he presents the sailboat and the coastline? It’s almost a scene staged for consumption, isn’t it? Editor: Definitely! It's not rugged or wild at all. The scene feels deliberately pleasant and inviting. I didn't initially think about it as something "staged." Curator: Consider how art institutions also began actively promoting an 'American' style during this period, often favoring accessible landscapes over more avant-garde works. How do you think Prendergast’s style might have fit into or challenged those institutional preferences? Editor: I see your point. He's doing something familiar - a landscape - but his treatment is more broken down than maybe some of the Realist painters or earlier American landscapists, like the Hudson River School, even though there's a similar sense of American place. Curator: Exactly. Prendergast's post-impressionist style, while appealing, still carried a certain edge. The fragmentation could be seen as a move away from traditional, academic portrayals. In many ways, it signifies art institutions finding that tenuous balance between accessibility and a taste of something innovative. I find Prendergast really exemplifies that transitional moment in the history of American Art. Editor: I never really considered the role institutions and even tourism played in landscape paintings of this era. I appreciate that angle. Curator: It makes you rethink how you might usually see this type of work!