Executed circa 1917-1918.
Known primarily as a modernist, the present work is a rare and early Impressionist work by the artist. The painting depicts the carefree atmosphere of a summer day in a park with happy children frolicking about and youthful mothers gossiping while tending to their young. By choosing a vibrant palette and loose, energized brushstrokes, Matulka has imbued Summer Day in the Park with a lively and appealing character that is reminiscent of great American Impressionists such as Edward Henry Potthast.