Winslow Homer is best known for his dark, brooding seascapes of the 1890s. In the 1870s, however, he was distinguished for scenes of children at play that were considered decidedly lacking in sentimentality. This view of three children in a dory in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts, not only depicts a delightful summer outing, but also suggests, by the presence of the huge schooners in the background, the boys' possible future livelihood.
The colors in this painting are grounded in an eerie combination of pink and blue that glows with reflected light. The seagull in the distance contributes to the spatial depth of the design, which is carefully calibrated to create a rhythm between solid shapes and open spaces, light and shadow.
