The Boat Race c. 1918 - 1923

Maurice Prendergast created *The Boat Race* with oil on canvas, building up a complex image out of many small dabs and strokes. Looking at this painting, you can really sense Prendergast's touch, and how the physical act of applying the paint creates the image. The surface is lively, almost mosaic-like, and everywhere you look, there are these thick, juicy marks. The color palette is really interesting here. Prendergast uses soft blues, greens, and pinks, which gives the painting an airy, dreamlike quality. Notice the way the figures on the beach are rendered, each person built up from a series of small strokes. These marks give the figures a sense of movement, as if they’re shimmering in the sunlight. This reminds me a little of Pierre Bonnard's paintings, which similarly use color and light to create a sense of atmosphere and feeling. Like Bonnard, Prendergast isn't so concerned with capturing reality as with creating a mood, making this piece an open invitation to dive into his unique vision.