Promenade by the Sea c. 1912 - 1914

Editor: Here we have Maurice Prendergast’s "Promenade by the Sea," painted around 1912 to 1914, using oil paint. I’m struck by the visible brushstrokes and how they create this almost textured surface. What draws your eye when you look at this painting? Curator: My attention is immediately drawn to the visible labor embedded in the paint application itself. Each stroke signifies a decision, a deliberate act of applying pigment to the canvas. What does that repetitive mark-making signify in a society undergoing mass production? Editor: So, you see the way he applies paint as connected to the broader social context of labor? Curator: Exactly. Prendergast’s process pushes against the anonymity of industrial creation. Think about the mass-produced goods emerging during that period. Here, we have handmade marks reflecting individual human action, and challenging the concept of standardized aesthetics favored in the mass market. Editor: It’s interesting that you focus on his technique as a form of commentary. How does this fit into the Post-Impressionist movement? Curator: Post-Impressionism encompassed a wide range of approaches, but many artists were grappling with similar themes of authenticity and individuality. By emphasizing the materiality of the paint, Prendergast is declaring that art is, fundamentally, work, while offering pleasure for consumption. He transforms an ordinary beach scene into a product. Editor: So, he's using his material choices to highlight the means of production, making a statement about the role of the artist in a changing world? Curator: Precisely. And by depicting leisurely scenes, like a promenade by the sea, he acknowledges the class dimensions inherent in artistic creation and enjoyment. Editor: I never considered the social implications of his brushstrokes before, I learned a lot, thank you! Curator: And I now have a fresher view of how painting translates social and labor themes; it was fascinating.