The Afternoon Boat

Located on Monhegan Island, Maine, the artist’s daughter Polly reclines in a hammock as a second girl seated on the railing of a porch overlooking the sea sits reading. The scene is lit in brilliant sunlight. A small steamboat passes along the right. Another island rests further off in the distance, as the leftmost area behind the figures is obscured by trees leading down to a  rocky coast.

Ever popular among artists, especially within the 19th century, impressionists such as Mary Butler and Constance Cochrane were attracted to the coastal and cliffside views of Monhegan. The island also boasted an art colony that included the likes of  Robert Henri, George Bellows, and Edward Hopper. A substantial artist community still exists there today.

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. We invite you to share your ideas, knowledge, and stories as they relate to the art in our collection. Contact us here.

Please note that work by this particular artist might not be on view when you visit.
Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.