Salem Cove

Maurice Prendergast

National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts a lively gathering of people in a vibrant outdoor setting. People wearing colorful clothing in shades of orange, teal, pink, white, and purple stroll across the green grass or sit on a blue bench in the bottom right corner. Tall trees with green leaves line the edge of the park, and beyond them small sailboats sit atop bright blue water. Dark gray rocks surround another grassy island or strip of land visible across the water on the right side, and more gray rocks are visible in the distance on the left. A small green kayak or canoe appears to navigate the water near the edge of the park. The painting was created using short, thick brushstrokes of bright colors inside of thin brown outlines, obscuring fine details and giving the appearance of a mosaic.