Lake Erie Shore

Werner Groshans, Lake Erie Shore, 1961, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design, 1999.16
Copied Werner Groshans, Lake Erie Shore, 1961, oil on canvas, 17 1823 18 in. (43.658.6 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design, 1999.16

Artwork Details

Title
Lake Erie Shore
Date
1961
Dimensions
17 1823 18 in. (43.658.6 cm.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure group
  • Figure group — male and child
  • Landscape — coast
  • Landscape — lake — Lake Erie
Object Number
1999.16

Artwork Description

In Lake Erie Shore a man and his springer spaniel enjoy a day at the beach, apparently oblivious to the woman walking toward them. The dark clouds that fill the sky and the disconnected footprints in the sand add to the unsettling feeling of this otherwise conventional scene. Werner Groshans always began his paintings with a pastel study, which he transferred to canvas using tracing paper. He used a wide brush to finish the paintings, which minimized the visibility of his brushstrokes, resulting in a dream-like feeling in his art. Groshans would spend months on a single image and often had several in progress at the same time. His landscapes often contain strange juxtapositions of figures who appear unaware of one another's presence.