Edward Henry Potthast (1857-1927)

By the 1910s, Potthast had settled into his studio on West 59th Street in New York City, which was in close proximity to the crowded resorts of Brighton Beach and Coney Island. The seashore lent itself to a bold Impressionist treatment; the motion of the surf and the casual poses of people on holiday necessitated Potthast's quick, animated style. In Wading, an effervescent example of one of these compositions, Potthast paints a high horizon line to accentuate the vastness of the bright blue ocean and town beyond. The children are depicted in confident dashes of colors and forms that typify the artist's creative, impressionist style through the use of broad and direct brushwork. The painting's quick brush strokes and vibrant palette perfectly encapsulate the essence of carefree leisure on a summer afternoon.