Narragansett Bay
1861
We “revel in cool atmospheres and transparent waters with Kensett,” wrote one of the artist’s many admiring followers in 1863. Kensett established his reputation in the 1850s with exquisite forest interiors, but by 1860 his art had evolved into delicate studies of the crystalline light that distinguishes the summertime character of Atlantic coast beaches. Newport, Rhode Island, and Narragansett Bay, became one of the artist’s favorite places to paint. In the serene coves which here and there mark the shoreline of this naturally protected harbor, Kensett found inspiration in a distinctive embracing atmosphere and easy rapport with nature, the qualities that would make the area a celebrated summer resort. Everything about this simple picnic scene conveys a sense of peace. A viewer would never suspect that it was painted in the midst of the country’s Civil War.
Oil on canvas
14 x 24 in. (35.6 x 61cm)
Gift from a private collection
2001.1054
Provenance: John H. B. Latrobe (1803-1891), Baltimore, Maryland; bequeathed to his daughter, Virginia Isabel Latrobe (Mrs. Andrew Kirkpatrick Cogswell, 1854-1924), 1891; to her son, M. Latrobe Cogswell; presented to Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore; deaccessioned and sold to [Vose Galleries, Boston, Massachusetts, 1969-1970]; sold to Mr. and Mrs. George D. Hart, Ross, California, 1970-1998; sold to donors, Seattle, Washington; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Washington, 2001