VIEW OF NAHANT [SUNSET]

With dramatic lighting and dynamic composition, View of Nahant [Sunset] is one of only five known works in the Nahant series by artist Thomas Chambers. The largest of the group, it is the only rendition depicting this time of day and the setting sun allows for an explosive use of color. Consistent in his portrayals of Nahant is the steamship Britannia (center) sailing southwest towards the shipping channel to Boston. Living in the area, Chambers would have been familiar with the topography. Here, however, he has altered the scene and the decorative and romantic nature of this work suggests he was most interested in presenting his own personal interpretation of the harbor. For further information on Chambers see Kathleen A. Foster, Thomas Chambers: American Marine Landscape Painter, 1808-1869 (New Haven, 2008).