Artwork
Sheep Porcupine Island, Bar Harbor, Maine, Evening Study, August 29, 1896
Sheep Porcupine Island, Bar Harbor, Maine, Evening Study, August 29, 1896 is a watercolor work on paper by the American Impressionist artist John La Farge. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
John La Farge’s *Sheep Porcupine Island, Bar Harbor, Maine, Evening Study* was executed on August 29, 1896. The work is a modestly sized watercolor and gouache study on off‑white wove paper, depicting a tranquil coastal scene at dusk. It belongs to the American Wing collection and exemplifies La Farge’s engagement with plein‑air landscape painting during the late nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a small, dark‑toned island rising from a smooth expanse of water. Sparse trees crown the landform, while a light‑colored sky, broken by soft clouds, hovers above. The reflected surface conveys a sense of stillness, suggesting an evening atmosphere where natural light is subdued and the environment appears hushed.
Technique & Style
La Farge employed a combination of watercolor’s translucency and gouache’s opacity to achieve delicate tonal variations. The muted palette and gentle brushwork create a soft, atmospheric effect characteristic of American Impressionist landscape studies. By layering washes and opaque highlights, the artist renders the water’s calm surface and the subtle gradations of evening light.
History & Provenance
Created during a period when La Farge was expanding beyond his renowned stained‑glass commissions, the study reflects his broader interest in illustration and mural work. The piece entered the museum’s American Wing collection as part of a mid‑20th‑century acquisition of La Farge’s watercolors, consolidating his reputation as a versatile artist beyond his glass designs.
Artist & collection
Artist
John La Farge (March 31, 1835 – November 14, 1910) was an American artist whose career spanned illustration, murals, interior design, painting, and popular books on his Asian travels and other art-related topics.
The Muse of Painting
Portrait of the Painter
The Last Valley - Paradise Rocks
The Entrance to the Tautira River, Tahiti. Fisherman Spearing a Fish
Flowers on a Window Ledge
Autumn Study, View over Hanging Rock, Newport, R.I.
The Island of Moorea Looking across the Strait from Tahiti, January 1891
Double Study of Dawn, Moorea Seen across the Water, Tahiti
Rocks and Sea
Parti af Kullen fra søen udfor Mølleleje
The Sound with Rain Clouds and Ships in the Background
Seascape
Parti af Kullen fra søen udfor Mølleleje
Seascape
The Sound with Rain Clouds and Ships in the Background
Coastal Landscape with Shipping; Windmill in Distance
Tappan Zee, from Glenwood
The Mountain
Rocky Coast with Light House
The Sound with ships, Near Espergærde