Rainbow 1904

Maurice Prendergast painted this scene, 'Rainbow' using oil on canvas, a traditional medium for painting, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. The thick application of paint creates a textured surface, and the individual brushstrokes are visible, contributing to the overall impressionistic effect. Prendergast's technique involved layering colors and tones to build up the composition, almost like a mosaic. This kind of labor-intensive work was associated with the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain and the USA, which Prendergast was involved with. It emphasized the value of skilled handwork in an era of increasing industrialization. The choice of oil paint is significant. By using a familiar artistic material to capture scenes of everyday life, Prendergast blurred the boundaries between high art and craft. The painting celebrates not only the beauty of the natural world, but also the labor involved in artistic creation.