The Wave, 1885

The Philadelphia-born Harrison studied at the PAFA before his 1879 departure for France, where he would spend the rest of his life dividing his time between Paris and Brittany. In Paris he trained on the atelier of Jules Bastien-Lepage and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts with Jean-Leon Gerome, an academic painter of oriental scenes who also trained Thomas Eakins and Mary Cassatt. Painted on the Breton coast in 1885, this work is one of many serial depictions of gently breaking waves Harrison produced, a concept probably derived from the French Impressionists. Although Harrison was acclaimed for his skill as a ' plein air ' painter, it is thought that this work was painted from memory after seires of quick sketches. 

PAFA Permanent Collection

Giclee matted print. Size: 17" x 11"