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Lot Essay
At the turn of the century, great political, economic and social changes allowed for the possibility and acceptance of the five-day work week and extended vacations. For Edward Henry Potthast, this increase in leisure time supplied subject matter which he painted over and over again. Among his favorites were outings at the seashore.
In Manhattan Beach, Potthast has captured "the heat, color, and light, and the rhythm of the figures, the sky, the sand and the water" to create "almost a snapshot of a moment at the seashore." (D. Smith-Hurd, Edward Henry Potthast, 1857-1927: An American Painter, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1994, n.p.) Like so many of Potthast's seashore paintings, Manhattan Beach is "a tribute to the carefree atmosphere of the seashore: happy children rollicking about, splashing in the surf, young mothers with children in their arms or beside their breeze-blown skirts, gossiping or strolling the beach; and family groups, picnicking, sunning themselves or chatting merrily on the sand beside gayly colored beach umbrellas." (Edward Henry Potthast, 1857-1927)
By choosing a vibrant palette, Potthast imbued his finest works such as Manhattan Beach with a lively and appealing character. The softly radiant blues of the sea are highlighted by the crisp white caps and broken horizontals of the waves and the gleaming sand. Potthast adds a skillful touch at the upper right, reflecting the group of bathers there in a small pool of shimmering standing water.
In Manhattan Beach, Potthast has captured "the heat, color, and light, and the rhythm of the figures, the sky, the sand and the water" to create "almost a snapshot of a moment at the seashore." (D. Smith-Hurd, Edward Henry Potthast, 1857-1927: An American Painter, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1994, n.p.) Like so many of Potthast's seashore paintings, Manhattan Beach is "a tribute to the carefree atmosphere of the seashore: happy children rollicking about, splashing in the surf, young mothers with children in their arms or beside their breeze-blown skirts, gossiping or strolling the beach; and family groups, picnicking, sunning themselves or chatting merrily on the sand beside gayly colored beach umbrellas." (Edward Henry Potthast, 1857-1927)
By choosing a vibrant palette, Potthast imbued his finest works such as Manhattan Beach with a lively and appealing character. The softly radiant blues of the sea are highlighted by the crisp white caps and broken horizontals of the waves and the gleaming sand. Potthast adds a skillful touch at the upper right, reflecting the group of bathers there in a small pool of shimmering standing water.