Study for 'The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket' 1879

Eastman Johnson's 1879 oil painting "Study for 'The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket'" is a study for a larger work. This study depicts a group of people harvesting cranberries in a field on Nantucket Island. The scene is depicted in a loose, painterly style, with an emphasis on capturing the light and atmosphere of the setting. The figures in the painting are rendered in a more abstract manner, with their forms and features implied rather than precisely delineated. The study is characterized by the use of muted colors and a sense of movement. This piece provides a glimpse into the process behind Johnson's larger, more finished works.