Scapa Evening

Michael Dailey, Scapa Evening, 1973, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Koenig, 1974.19
Copied Michael Dailey, Scapa Evening, 1973, oil on canvas, 44 1⁄2 x 44 1⁄4 in. (113.1 x 112.4 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Koenig, 1974.19

Artwork Details

Title
Scapa Evening
Artist
Date
1973
Location
Dimensions
44 1⁄2 x 44 1⁄4 in. (113.1 x 112.4 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Koenig
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Abstract
Object Number
1974.19
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1974.19

Artwork Description

Michael Dailey reworked the veil of color in Scapa Evening “over and over again” until he felt the hues were exactly right, and we can still see some of the underlying layers at the top of the image. This is an abstract painting, but the title suggests Dailey was inspired by the landscape of Scapa in Alberta, Canada. The misty tones of green, turquoise, and gray evoke the fading colors of dusk, from the brighter light at the horizon to the darker hues in the evening sky above.