Figures on the Beach 1894

Editor: Here we have Maurice Prendergast's "Figures on the Beach" from 1894. It seems to be a watercolor, and I’m struck by how ephemeral the whole scene feels, like a fleeting moment captured in washes of color. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: I see the direct product of leisure, carefully staged and consumed. Prendergast wasn't just painting pretty pictures; he was capturing the commodification of experience. Think about the materiality of the scene – the textiles of the dresses and umbrellas, manufactured goods that allowed these figures to engage in this very activity. How are those items indicative of larger societal changes? Editor: Well, the clothing does look rather elaborate, suggesting a certain social class with the means to afford leisure and those types of garments. The impressionistic style also means we aren't getting sharp details, more a blur of colors to make it feel light and free. Curator: Exactly! It's not just *what* is depicted, but *how*. The brushstrokes themselves are a product of a specific set of tools and skills. The rise of affordable pigments enabled artists to capture fleeting moments *en plein air.* This also ties into mass consumption... these scenes are, in a way, marketing leisure to others who aspire to the lifestyle depicted. What is implied when watercolor rather than oil paints are used? Editor: I never really thought about watercolor suggesting affordability but that definitely provides a perspective, and would imply it as accessible as leisure time, comparatively. I'm so used to thinking of the subject as the subject, it's very cool to think that all the supplies also have their story. Curator: Precisely! And it changes our understanding from just enjoying what’s pleasant, to comprehending the manufacturing, the access to materials and processes of consumerism in this period, and the choices involved in capturing it. Editor: I'll definitely look at materiality more closely moving forward.