Beach Study (verso)

About this work

You see a sandy beach dotted with small figures—kids digging, moms in long skirts watching, a few umbrellas tilted against the breeze. Potthast painted this quickly, almost like a snapshot. He spent summers on the New England coast, watching families play. The loose brushstrokes make the sunlight feel warm and real, even though the medium isn’t labeled. If you like this light, airy style, look up impasto—a technique where paint is laid on thickly to catch the glow.