The South Ledges, Appledore

Time for some summer paintings!

The American artist Frederick Childe Hassam spent numerous summers on Appledore Island, located off the coast of Maine, where he was part of an informal artist colony that gathered each year. This community, which included musicians, writers, and other artists, congregated at the home of his friend, poet Celia Thaxter. In Thaxter's lush gardens and along the island's rocky shores, Hassam employed the shimmering brushwork and vivid colors he had embraced in France to depict the transient light of Appledore’s fleeting summer. His painting captures the relaxed, seasonal pace of life enjoyed by America’s affluent families in the years leading up to the Great War. The scene features an elegantly attired woman shielding her face from the sun, her gaze turned downward and away, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

Happy July, everyone!

P.S. If you're still figuring out where to go for your summer holidays, here are some top summer destinations inspired by art! For more sea depictions, check out our Sea, Ships & Beaches 50 Postcards Set; you can send them to your loved ones as holiday souvenirs!  :)