William James Glackens
William Glackens established his artistic reputation at the turn of the century with uncompromising modern depictions of urban life. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he took night classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts while working as an artist-reporter for a local newspaper. He later moved to New York City, where he became one of the nation's premier commercial illustrators, a profession that provided him the stable income that enabled him to pursue painting.
How do you describe reality?
Glackens often found his subjects near the sea. In this vivid painting of rocks and a distant lighthouse, he portrayed the rocks and ocean like living organisms. The artist’s brushstrokes show the sky as a series of individual gusts of breeze. The water sparkles with colored reflections, and the rough rocks are made to feel heavy by the darkened shadows beneath them. Each object depicted features a rainbow of color, making all elements of this seascape feel intimately intertwined.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd