The Bathers, c. 1915
Oil on board
11 x 15 inches
Biography
Cincinnati-born Edward Potthast (1857-1927) is best known for his playful impressionistic depictions of New England and Long Island beaches. Trained in Munich at the Royal Academy under Carl Marr, his early style reflects the influence of the Munich School, which stems greatly from the Dutch painting tradition. Potthast returned to Cincinnati and earned a living as a lithographer, but continued to pursue his painting studies, traveling to Paris a number of times. This enabled him to develop a skilled impressionist sensibility that led to his acceptance at exhibitions such as the Paris Salon in 1889 and the National Academy of Design in 1897. After his move to New York in 1895, Potthast spent his summers in the artist colonies of coastal Maine and Massachusetts, where he cultivated his fondness and a sheer talent for painting beach scenes.
