Martin Johnson Heade
Martin Johnson Heade is one of a number of American artists who have been grouped together as “luminists.” Although these artists never worked as a school—they did not necessarily know one another—their work shares a number of formal characteristics: pronounced horizontal format, absence of visible brushstrokes, and close attention to the qualities and effects of light.
Where have you encountered the most stunning sunset?
Here we see the power of the ocean and our inconsequentiality before it. The beach appears to be deserted and the fringe of white foam at the water’s edge, typically all but invisible in the harsh glare of midday, glows under the low light of dusk. Figures are visible in the distance—two men sit in a small rowboat—but they are dwarfed by nature’s expanse.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd
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