Blue Mountains 1915

Maurice Prendergast painted 'Blue Mountains,' an oil on canvas piece, sometime in his lifetime, presenting us with a landscape imbued with bold color choices. The eye is immediately drawn to the composition's structure: the imposing blue mountains in the background, set against a sunny, yellow sky, dominate the scene. Prendergast's technique invites contemplation about the painting's deeper structures. The brushstrokes, thick and visible, reject any illusion of depth. The formal elements create a semiotic dialogue. The blue mountains, instead of receding into the background, advance towards the viewer, challenging our perception of space. The figures interspersed throughout the landscape become mere chromatic elements in this vibrant tapestry. In Prendergast's structural handling, we see a dissolution of traditional artistic values. The artwork serves not as a mirror reflecting reality but as a window into the artist’s interpretation of space and form.