Landscape with Figures

1921

Maurice Prendergast

Artist, American, 1858 - 1924

About a dozen people, mostly or all women, sit or stand in a loose row under a band of trees close to us in a park with water in the near distance in this stylized horizontal painting. The trees reach off the top edge of the canvas, and tufts of leaves are painted with dabs of moss, mint, and forest green with a few touches of marigold orange. The women all appear to have peachy or nearly white-colored skin and shades of brown hair. Their bodies and dresses are outlined in black, dark blue, or dark red. They are painted loosely and almost without facial features. They wear dresses in shades of coral red, pale yellow, muted blue, light lilac purple. A person sitting in the lower left corner wears a dark pink cap, and a dog stands to one side. Two sailboats float in the body of water beyond the grassy park. The water is painted pale mint green. A strip of land on the far side of the water is painted in tones of pale tan and purple, and the sky above is mottled parchment white and light slate blue, and the sun is a golden yellow disk to the left.

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Landscape with Figures depicts a crowded scene of brightly dressed men, women, and children socializing in a park along a rocky shoreline. The flattened figures outlined in black and described by colorful, textured brushwork are arranged in a rhythmic, frieze-like composition across a shallow foreground. The horizontal band of the park and people, like the registers of water and sky above, is punctuated by the verticals of the trees. The view is further animated by the overall patterning accented by repeating circles of heads, bodies, hats, parasols, and the setting sun visible through a break in the tree canopy. The painting exemplifies Maurice Prendergast’s works from the final decade of his life, when he almost exclusively created large-scale, highly stylized views of figures at leisure in generalized Boston waterfront park settings. Despite its joyful, decorative, almost mosaic-like appearance, scholars believe that Landscape with Figures and Prendergast’s other late works are not without deeper meaning. These paintings serve as elegies for a lost era of leisure activities and travel that was increasingly eclipsed by the rise of industrialization, technology, and war in early 20th-century America.

Throughout his career, the prolific Prendergast created vividly colored, idyllic scenes of people enjoying urban parks and seaside resorts, both in the United States and Europe. He rendered these at first in watercolor and monotype and then, beginning in 1902, also in oil. Incorporating lessons learned from his study of modern French painters such as Paul Cézanne, Edouard Vuillard, and Pierre Bonnard the artist developed a highly personal style that reached full maturity in such works as Landscape with Figures.

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Artwork overview

More About this Artwork

Scholarly Article:  American Paintings, 1900–1945: Landscape with Figures, 1921

This nearly square painting shows an industrial area with buildings, storage silos, a smokestack, and railroad tracks. A mound of brown dirt or other material is in shadow in the lower left corner of the painting. Next to the mound, railroad tracks extend diagonally from the lower center of the painting into the distance to our right. The tracks end at a white building with staggered gray rooflines to our right in the distance. A tall terracotta-red smokestack rises high beyond the white building, smoke pouring out of its top and blending into the clouds above. Just beyond the mound of dirt, piles of white material, perhaps in unseen bins, line the railroad track to our left and lead back to a row ten interconnected, coral-orange silos. The horizon comes about halfway up the painting, and it is lined with a row of long white and gray warehouses. The artist signed and dated the work with brown paint in the lower right corner: “Sheeler 31.”

Scholarly Series:  American Paintings, 1900–1945

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Purchased from the artist 15 December 1923 by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; acquired 2014 by the National Gallery of Art.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1921

  • Possibly Third Annual Exhibition - New Society of Artists, Wildenstein & Co., New York, 1921, no. 70.

1922

  • Possibly Seventh Annual Exhibition of the Eclectics, Dudensing Galleries, New York, 1922.

1923

  • Thirty-Sixth Annual Exhibition of American Paintings and Sculpture, Art Institute of Chicago, November-December 1923, no. 178.

  • Ninth Exhibition of Contemporary American Oil Paintings, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, December 1923-January 1924, no.144.

1924

  • Tenth Annual Exhibition, Detroit Institute of Arts, 1924, no. 34.

1934

  • Maurice Prendergast Memorial Exhibition, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1934, no. 104.

1954

  • Inaugural Exhibition, Fort Worth Art Center, 1954, no. 80.

1957

  • Twenty-Fifth Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Oil Paintings, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, 1957, no. 35, Historical Section.

1959

  • Loan Exhibition. Masterpieces of the Corcoran Gallery of Art: A Benefit Exhibition in Honor of the Gallery's Centenary, Wildenstein, New York, 1959, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

1963

  • The New Tradition: Modern Americans before 1940, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1963, no. 80.

1966

  • Past and Present: 250 Years of American Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1966, unpublished checklist.

1976

  • Corcoran [The American Genius]. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1976, unnumbered catalogue.

1978

  • The William A. Clark Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 26 April - 16 July 1978, unnumbered catalogue.

1985

  • Henri's Circle, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 20 April - 16 June 1985, unnumbered checklist.

1990

  • Maurice Prendergast, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; The Phillips Collection, Washington, 1990-1991, no. 110.

1998

  • The Forty-Fifth Biennial: The Corcoran Collects, 1907–1998, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 17 July - 29 September 1998, unnumbered catalogue.

2003

  • The Impressionist Tradition in America, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 2003-2004, unpublished checklist.

2004

  • Figuratively Speaking: The Human Form in American Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 2004-2005, unpublished checklist.

2005

  • Encouraging American Genius: Master Paintings from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Parrish Art Museum, Southampton; Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte; John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, 2005-2007, checklist no. 79.

2009

  • American Paintings from the Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 6 June - 18 October 2009, unpublished checklist.

2013

  • American Journeys: Visions of Place, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 21 September 2013 - 28 September 2014, unpublished checklist.

Bibliography

n.d.

  • Corcoran Gallery of Art Archives, Special Collections Research Center, George Washington University Libraries, Washington, DC: correspondence between C. Powell Minnigerode and Maurice Prendergast; 6, 7, 8, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 23 December 1923; RG2, Office of the Director records; Series 2, Minnigerode and Williams records, 1908-1968.

1923

  • "Award Clark Art Prizes." The Philadelphia Public Ledger (7 December 1923).

  • "Clark Prize to Bellows." New York World (7 December 1923): 13.

  • "G. W. Bellows Wins $2,000 Art Prize." The New Yrk Times (7 December 1923): 25.

  • "New York Artist Wins." New York Herlad (7 December 1923): 13.

  • "Awards at Biennial Are Like Chicago's." Art News 22, no. 10 (15 December 1923): 2.

  • Brigham, Gertrude Richardson. "Art and Artists of the National Capital." The Washington Post (16 December 1923): Amusements: 9.

  • Mechlin, Leila. "Notes of Art and Artists [exh.review]." The Washington Star (16 December 1923): 2: 13.

  • "Thousands Attend Corcoran Exhibit." The Washington Star (16 December 1923): 1:3.

  • "383 Works Shown by 286 Artists at Corcoran Gallery." The Washington Post (17 December 1923): 4.

  • "Prizes in Washington." Boston Evening Transcript (17 December 1923): 10.

  • Perkins, Harley. "Contemporary American Art Shown at National Capital [exh. review]." Boston Evening Transcript (19 December 1923): 3: 2.

  • "Gallery Buys 11 Pictures on Show." The Washington Star (19 December 1923): 3.

  • "Washington Turns to Art." New York Sun and the Globe (19 December 1923): 20.

  • Barker, Virgil. "Praise for Paintings at Corcoran Show." The New York Evening Post (22 December 1923): 5.

  • Wright, Helen. "Ninth Biennial is a Brilliant Exhibit." Art News 22, no. 11 (22 December 1923): 2, repro.

  • Merrick, Lula. "In the World of Art [exh. review]." New York Morning Telegraph (23 December 1923): 9.

  • Dorr, Charles Henry. "Milwaukeeans in Capital Art Show." Milwaukee Journal (23 December 1923): 5: 4.

  • Dorr, Charles Henry. unknown title. The Brooklyn Times (23 December 1923).

  • "The World of Art: Ninth Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting at the Corcoran Gallery [exh. review]." The New York Times (23 December 1923): Magazine section: 10, 11, repro.

  • Burroughs, Clyde H. "Director Burroughs Gives Impressions of Big Show." The Detroit News (30 December 1923): 12.

  • "Bellows Awarded First Clark Prize." The Washington Star (6 December 1923): 1.

  • "Bellows Winner of 1st Clark Prize." Brooklyn Daily Eagle (6 December 1923): 3.

  • "Bellows Wins First Prize in Corcoran Exhibition." Newark Evening News (6 December 1923): 5.

  • "Corcoran Medals Awarded to Artists." New York Evenig Post (6 December 1923): 2.

  • "George W. Bellows Wins Clark Prize." New York Evening Mail (6 December 1923).

  • "N.Y. Painters Win Two Clark Awards." New York Evening Telegram (6 December 1923).

1924

  • Barker, Virgil. "Notes on the Exhibitions [exh. review]." Arts 5, no. 1 (January 1924): 38, repro.

  • Flambeau, Viktor. "Public Votes This Week on Prize Picture: Corcoran Biennial Exhibition Visitors Willl Select Their Favorites." The Washington Herald (6 January 1924): March of Events section: 5.

  • "The Ninth Biennial at the Corcoran Art Gallery, Washington, D.C." Macon Telegraph (Georgia) (6 January 1924).

  • "Dickinson Picture Wins Public Vote." The Washington Star (15 January 1924): 2.

  • "A Popular Prize." Boston Evening Transcript (21 January 1924): 2: 15.

  • Mechlin, Leila. "Contemporary American Painting: Ninth Exhibition, Corcoran Gallery of Art [exh. review]." American Magazine of Art 15, no. 2 (February 1924): 66. repro., 67, 72.

1926

  • Milliken, William Mathewson. " Maurice Prendergast, American Artist [exh. review]." Arts 9, no. 4 (April 1926): 192.

1929

  • Cochrane, Albert Franz. "Maurice Prendergast Memorial Exhibition: Harvard Society for Contemporary Art Sponsors Display 5 Years After Artist's Death [exh. review]." Boston Evening Transcript (24 April 1929): 3: 14.

1931

  • Breuning, Margaret. Maurice Prendergast (American Artists Series). New York, 1931: 7.

1933

  • Downes, William Howe. "Prendergast, Maurice Brazil." In Dumas Malone, ed. Dictionary of American Biography. New York, 1961: 186.

1934

  • Read, Helen Appleton. "Prendergast Honored at the Whitney." Brooklyn Daily Eagle (18 February 1934): B-C: 12.

  • "Whitney Museum Opens Prendergast Memorial Display." New York Herald Tribune (21 February 1934): 21.

  • "Whitney Will Hold Prendergast Show." Art News 32, no. 20 (17 February 1934): 3.

  • "Deaf Prendergast, Dead Ten Years, Presents His 'Still Domain' [exh. review]." Art Digest 8, no. 11 (1 March 1934): 10.

1937

  • Special Exhibition of Monotypes by Maurice Brazil Prendergast. Exh. cat. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1937: n.p.

1938

  • Dooley, William Germain. "Prendergast Exhibit Planned for Andover [exh. review]." Boston Evening Transcript (10 September 1938): 3: 3.

1939

  • Lewis, Elisabeth Ray. "Museum Treasure of the Week: The Corcoran Gallery Collection in Review: 'The Eight.'" The Washington Post (3 September 1939): A:5.

1943

  • White, James T. "Prendergast, Maurice Brazil." In National Cyclopedia of American Biography. New York, 1943: 399.

1947

  • Corcoran Gallery of Art. Handbook of the American Paintings in the Collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, 1947: 66.

1952

  • Rhys, Hedley Howel. "Maurice Prendergast: The Sources and Development of His Style." Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University, Cambridge, 1952: 164.

1954

  • McKinney, Ronald. The Eight (Metropolitan Museum of Art Miniatures, Album ME). New York, 1954: n.p., pl. 22.

1958

  • L. J. P. "Corcoran is Showing Works of 'Ashkan School.'" The Washington Post and Times Herald (5 October 1958): E7.

1959

  • Corcoran Gallery of Art. Masterpieces of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, 1959: 60, repro.

1961

  • Ashlander, Leslie Judd. "Backbone of the Corcoran Gallery." The Washington Post (25 June 1961): G6.

  • Rush, Richard H. _ Art as an Investment_. New York, 1961: 201, repro.

1966

  • Harithas, James. "250 Years of American Art [exh. review]." Apollo 84, no. 53 (July 1966): 71, repro.

1968

  • Christensen, Erwin O. A Guide to Art Museums in the United States. New York, 1968: 148, 149, repro.

1973

  • Phillips, Dorothy W. A Catalogue of the Collection of American Paintings in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Vol. 2: Painters born from 1850 to 1910. Washington, 1973: 36, repro., 37.

1976

  • Green, Eleanor. Maurice Prendergast: Art of Impulse and Color. Exh. cat. University of Maryland Gallery, College Park, 1976: 76, 77.

1978

  • Monneret, Sophie, L'Impressionnisme et son Époque. 4 vols. Paris, 1978-1981: 1: 682.

1980

  • Scott, David W. Maurice Prendergast. Washington, DC; Phillips Collection, 1980, p. 13, pl. 20.

1981

  • Selz, Peter. Art in Our Times: A Pictorial History 1890-1980. New York, 1981: 255, repro.

1982

  • Broadd, Harry A. "The Unique Style of Maurice Prendergast." Arts and Activities 90 (January 1982): 29, repro., 30.

1994

  • Wattenmaker, Richard J. Maurice Prendergast. New York, 1994: 141, 143, 144, repro., 147, 148, 154.

2000

  • Cash, Sarah, with Terrie Sultan. American Treasures of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. New York, 2000: 166, repro.

2009

  • Kennedy, Elizabeth. "Maurice B. Prendergast: the Modern Spirit." In The Eight and American Modernism. Exh. cat. New Britain Museum of American Art, 2009: 110, repro.

2011

  • Napolitano, Laura Groves. "Maurice Brazil Prendergast, Landscape with Figures." In Corcoran Gallery of Art: American Paintings to 1945. Edited by Sarah Cash. Washington, 2011: 226-227, 280-281, repro.

Inscriptions

on the reverse: Maurice B. Prendergast / 1921[1]

Wikidata ID

Q20192369

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