Maurice Brazil Prendergast

Prendergast was a member of the Eight, a group of New York painters who exhibited independently in 1908 in protest of the strict regulations governing annual exhibitions at the National Academy of Design. Nevertheless, his style and subject matter vary greatly from that of the Eight, who considered themselves urban realists and are often called the "Ashcan School." During his many trips to Paris, Prendergast became familiar with and was inspired by the Post-Impressionists and the Nabis. The European influence is apparent in the loose brushwork, bright unmixed colors, and idyllic dreamlike quality of On the Beach. The painting was probably inspired by Prendergast's summertime visits to Salem and Gloucester and completed in his studio in Washington Square in lower Manhattan.