Schofield portrays the Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey, which dates to the fourteenth century. From an elevated vantage point, he layers bold, geometric brushstrokes—an approach evocative of Paul Cézanne’s interplay of vertical space and stylized forms—building his palette from primary colors and green. The interplay of strokes guides the viewer’s eye from the clustered fishing boats in the harbor to the reflections in the water and the shops and colorful cottages beyond.
A leading figure of American Impressionism, Schofield was born in Philadelphia. After briefly attending Swarthmore College, he worked as a cowboy in Texas, where ranch hands encouraged him to pursue art. He went on to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia and the Académie Julian in Paris, where he studied French Impressionism. In 1902 he settled in St. Ives, Cornwall, painting its rugged coasts and harbors while returning to Pennsylvania in the winters.
![Untitled [Harbor Scene]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/68961b6b3189b29172d19dc9/691c6cb29a992de3c88fec8a_Schofield_2004.42_WEB-1.avif)
