Low Tide, Hetherington Cove, Grand Manan

During a fifty year career, Alfred Thompson Bricher specialized in landscape scenery of the New England coastline. He was especially drawn to the remote coast of Grand Manan Island, off the coast of Maine in the Bay of Fundy, where he drew inspiration from the rugged cliffs and surrounding sea, capturing scenes there for seventeen years. Low Tide, Hetherington’s Cove, Grand Manan is one of the most successful and majestic in the series. Taken on the gently sloping eastern shore of the island, the artist captures the quite moment of low tide, with massive, irregular boulders protruding from the surrounding iridescent green seaweed. The limped tidal pools reflect the brilliant sun and cloud filled sky, and the rippling waves calmly shimmer over the white sand beach. White sailboats dot the far horizon and a wooden dory rests on its side on the seaweed covered beach. Considered a major work by the artist, he exhibited it at the National Academy of Design, New York, and the Philadelphia Art Club exhibition, both in 1899.