Afternoon by the Sea (aka Gravesend Bay) 1888

William Merritt Chase made this oil on canvas painting, Afternoon by the Sea, in the late nineteenth century. It depicts a tranquil scene of a woman with two children and two dogs at Gravesend Bay, Long Island. Chase, a prominent American Impressionist, captured the leisure activities of the upper-middle class. The painting invites questions about the role of women and children in that society. The mother's attire and serene posture suggest a life of leisure and domesticity. Meanwhile, the presence of children highlights the importance of family and lineage. Chase presents the image as an ideal: the sea, the well-dressed family, and even the dogs. In my view, the art historian plays a vital role in examining these visual codes and cultural references. By studying period literature, social commentaries, and family portraits, we can better understand the values and norms of late nineteenth-century American society. Art becomes more meaningful when considered within its social and institutional context.