Harry Stinson – Boathouse at Laurelton Hall, 1925 Sotheby’s

The composition presents a lakeside scene dominated by a small boathouse nestled amongst dense foliage. The structure itself is rendered in muted tones – primarily whites and creams – suggesting age and weathering. A single window punctuates the facade, hinting at an interior space unseen but implied. To its left, a gnarled tree trunk merges with the building’s form, blurring the distinction between natural growth and human construction.
The artist employed a visible brushstroke throughout, particularly evident in the rendering of the vegetation. The grass in the foreground is built up from thick impasto layers of greens, yellows, and touches of reddish-brown, creating a sense of texture and vibrancy. This textural emphasis extends to the foliage surrounding the boathouse, where individual leaves are suggested rather than meticulously detailed.
The water surface reflects the sky above, exhibiting subtle shifts in color that contribute to an overall impression of tranquility. Distant landmasses appear on the horizon, softened by atmospheric perspective – their details indistinct and rendered with less precision than the immediate foreground. A small sailboat is visible on the lake, adding a touch of human presence without disrupting the scene’s quietude.
The arrangement suggests a deliberate focus on the interplay between architecture and nature. The boathouse isnt presented as an imposing structure but rather as an integrated element within its environment – a place of refuge or leisure subtly embedded in the landscape. There is a sense of seclusion, a feeling that this location exists apart from broader human activity.
The color palette, while predominantly green and blue, incorporates unexpected hues – pinks and purples in the foliage and reflections – which lend an emotional depth to the scene. These subtle chromatic variations prevent the painting from becoming merely descriptive; they imbue it with a sense of mood and atmosphere that transcends a simple depiction of a lakeside boathouse. The work evokes a feeling of nostalgia, perhaps for a simpler time or a connection to nature that is increasingly rare.