Squanton (also known as Men in Park with a Wagon, Squanton) 1910

Maurice Prendergast made this small oil painting, called 'Squanton', at an unknown date. You know, looking at this painting, I can almost feel Prendergast standing in front of his easel with his brush loaded with paint. He jabs at the canvas to suggest the atmosphere of a park, or perhaps a beach. Dabs of oranges, blues, and greens create the illusion of figures and trees without defining them too precisely. I imagine Prendergast was deeply interested in the act of seeing, and how we perceive the world around us. He captures the essence of a scene. His dabs of paint, like confetti, create a vibrant and lively surface, and remind me of the pointillist painter, Seurat. The pinks and blues of the sky create a sense of movement, as if the clouds are swirling above us. I am reminded that artists engage in an ongoing conversation across time, influencing and inspiring one another. It makes you think, doesn’t it?