Artwork
Excursionists, Nahant
Excursionists, Nahant is an unspecified painting by the American Impressionist artist Maurice Prendergast. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
The figures are dressed in attire typical of the late 19th century, with women wearing long dresses and hats, and men sporting suits and top hats.
This painting depicts a lively scene of people gathered near a body of water, with several boats visible in the distance. The figures are dressed in attire typical of the late 19th century, with women wearing long dresses and hats, and men sporting suits and top hats. A few individuals are seated on a bench, while others stand or walk along the shore.
In the foreground, a tree stands tall, adding a touch of natural beauty to the scene. The overall atmosphere is one of leisure and relaxation, as the excursionists enjoy their day outdoors.
For more on the artist who created this charming scene, explore the works of Maurice Prendergast.
Subject & Meaning
The painting titled Excursionists, Nahant, created by Maurice Prendergast in 1896, portrays a seaside outing on the Massachusetts coast. Its iconography includes a small boat and a solitary woman, elements that signal a leisurely excursion among the vacationers who frequented Nahant’s shores. By focusing on these figures, the work evokes the growing popularity of coastal recreation in the late nineteenth century and suggests a moment of quiet leisure removed from urban life.
The composition thus serves as a visual record of contemporary leisure culture, where the sea functions both as a backdrop and a symbol of escape.
Technique & Style
The painting employs a watercolor technique with gouache highlights, applied on a cream wove paper support measuring 49.5 by 36 centimeters. Prendergast’s handling combines loose, rhythmic brushwork with dense, mosaic-like passages, particularly in the crowd and foliage, to create a decorative effect. Figures are rendered in simplified, curvilinear contours that flatten space and emphasize pattern over naturalistic modeling.
The composition integrates boats, figures, and shoreline into a shallow, compressed field, aligning with the artist’s stylistic shift toward modernist stylization during the mid-1890s.
History & Provenance
Maurice Prendergast created the painting Excursionists, Nahant in 1896. The work is an oil painting that depicts a scene featuring a boat and a woman. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting measures 49.5 cm in height and 36 cm in width.
Excursionists, Nahant is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, painted by Maurice Prendergast in 1896, is classified as a painting within the museum's holdings. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the work is documented as part of the institution's permanent collection.
The painting depicts a scene featuring a boat and a woman, consistent with Prendergast's interest in leisure activities and coastal landscapes during this period. No specific exhibition history or past display locations are detailed in the provided sources.
Overview
Maurice Prendergast, an artist active in the United States, created Excursionists, Nahant in 1898. This painting exemplifies American Impressionism, capturing a vibrant outdoor gathering near the water. The work reflects Prendergast's consistent interest in depicting scenes of modern leisure and contemporary life, often characterized by a distinctive approach to color and form. It offers a glimpse into turn-of-the-century social activities.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Maurice Brazil Prendergast (October 10, 1858 – February 1, 1924) was a Newfoundlander-American artist who painted in oil and watercolor, and created monotypes.
![Violet [Note?]...The Return of the Fishing Boats, by James McNeill Whistler](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/james-mcneill-whistler--violet-note-the-return-of-the-fishing-boats--d47c241489748015-w320.webp)
