The Picnic Grounds by John French Sloan - 1906–1907 - 59.8 × 90.2 cm Whitney Museum of American Art The Picnic Grounds by John French Sloan - 1906–1907 - 59.8 × 90.2 cm Whitney Museum of American Art

The Picnic Grounds

oil on canvas • 59.8 × 90.2 cm
  • John French Sloan - August 2, 1871 - September 7, 1951 John French Sloan 1906–1907

Today it is International Picnic Day! We hope you have some good weather and maybe plan to have a picnic this weekend?   ; )

John Sloan maintained that his work as an illustrator taught him to “go into the streets and look at life.” Indeed, he based The Picnic Grounds on an observed incident recorded in his diary—a visit to the picnic grounds in Bayonne, New Jersey, on May 30, 1907, to celebrate Decoration Day (now known as Memorial Day). The seemingly rapid brushwork of the painting suits its subject: high-spirited young people enjoying themselves on a spring day. In its attention to the pursuit of pleasure away from labor, the painting documents a pervasive phenomenon: the rise of leisure-time activities and spaces in and around New York City at the turn of the 20th century. The Picnic Grounds is also notable for its depiction of the interaction between lively female figures and their male counterparts—as opposed to more traditional academic artists, who consistently pictured women as isolated, introspective beings during this period.

Have a calm Friday!

P.S. Here are the best picnic inspirations from art! Do not thank us, just grab your picnic basket and have an outdoor feast!  :-D