Beach Profile

David Park, Beach Profile, 1953, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Edith S. and Arthur J. Levin, 2005.5.58
Copied David Park, Beach Profile, 1953, oil on canvas, 33 3⁄8 x 29 3⁄4 in. (84.8 x 75.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Edith S. and Arthur J. Levin, 2005.5.58

Artwork Details

Title
Beach Profile
Artist
Date
1953
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
33 3⁄8 x 29 3⁄4 in. (84.8 x 75.6 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Edith S. and Arthur J. Levin
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Landscape — beach
Object Number
2005.5.58
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2005.5.58

Artwork Description

In Beach Profile Park has reoriented a traditional beach scene ninety degrees, upending the normal orientation of sea and sand. This spatial distortion, which eliminates horizon and sky, reinforces the dramatic contrast in scale between the landscape and the profile. While the distance seems great, the lengthening shadow cast by the small figure on the beach touches the observer’s shoulder, suggesting a connection. The ambiguous relationship between the figures and the truncated space create a sense of mystery.

Modern Masters: Midcentury Abstraction from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2008