Stonington Harbor, Maine 1920

John Marin created "Stonington Harbor, Maine" using watercolor and charcoal. Marin, working in the early 20th century, was part of a generation grappling with rapid industrialization. His choice of watercolor, a medium often associated with immediacy and transparency, allowed him to capture the ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere. Here, you can see how he renders the Maine harbor with loose, gestural strokes, as if to mirror the constant motion of the sea. The fishing industry has always been central to Maine's identity, shaping communities and individual livelihoods. We are invited to consider what it means to represent a place so intimately tied to both natural beauty and hard labor. Marin once said he wanted his lines to ‘dance with joy’. In this context, consider whose joy is represented, and whose stories remain unseen in the abstraction. This scene offers a window into a specific time and place, reflecting broader societal issues.