The Holiday (also known as Figures by the Sea or Promenade by the Sea) 1910

Maurice Prendergast made this lively painting, The Holiday, with oil on canvas. Look at the way he builds up the image with these tiny, joyful dabs of color. For Prendergast, painting isn't about copying reality; it's about creating a whole new way of seeing. Up close, you can almost feel the texture, the way the paint sits on the surface. It's not about smooth blending, but about the energy of each individual mark. See how he uses these marks to create the dresses and hats of the figures, so they almost shimmer with life. I love how this approach creates a sense of movement, like the scene is vibrating with excitement. It reminds me a little of Seurat, but with an even more playful, personal touch. Instead of trying to nail down a perfect image, Prendergast leaves room for our eyes, and minds, to wander. It's a celebration of the beauty and ambiguity of the world around us.