Beach Scene
Leon KROLL
(American, 1884-1974)
Beach Scene
Dateca. 1937
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensionsoverall: 28 x 36 in. (71.1 x 91.4 cm)
frame: 34 1/2 x 44 1/8 x 2 in. (87.6 x 112.1 x 5.1 cm)
ClassificationPAINTINGS
Credit LineSBMA, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Title
Object number1992.12.3
Subject(s)
- beach
Collection
- 20th century American
On View
Not on viewLabel TextLeon Kroll is best known for his figurative paintings, particularly of the female nude. This beach scene allows the artist to explore his interest in the human body through the monumental, writhing figures of beach-goers. Exploiting color for dramatic effect, the unnaturally bright swimsuits, umbrellas, and beach towels create a jarring contrast with the menacing clouds and rough waves. The figures battling the wind suggest an almost primordial conflict between man and nature. Kroll’s stylized forms could draw inspiration from Picasso’s classicized depictions of bathers in the 1920s or 1930s, featuring increasingly simplified geometric forms.
