The Four Seasons on Canvas Summer

This is a short series about paintings that depict the four seasons. I started with autumn and all of the beautiful colorful leaves, and then came winter and spring. I am finishing with summer as well as paintings showing beach scenes. As I go through the seasons there’ll be links to the articles below.

European Artists

Women Walking on the Beach 1909 Joaquin Sorolla

Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla was an Impressionist painter who lived and worked during the 19th century. He created one of his greatest masterpieces in 1909 titled Women Walking on the Beach. This painting depicts his wife and daughter on a windy beach. It was common for women to wear long white dresses in the summer. This scene was on one of the beaches in Valencia in the 19th century.

Tahitian Women on the Beach 1891 Paul Gaugin

French artist Paul Gaugin created one of his most famous paintings focuses on two Tahitian women sitting on the sand.

The Swing 1767 Jean-Honore Fragonard

French artist Jean-Honore Fragonard is remembered as one of the most noteworthy artists from the Rococo period. He created this artwork depicting an amusing scene in the middle of a dense forest during the summer. A young woman is swinging on a swing that is attached to a large tree branch. She is being pushed by an older man who is not aware that a younger man is lying in the bushes below with a clear view underneath the woman’s skirt.

Two Women Running on the Beach 1922 Pablo Picasso

Spanish artist Pablo Picasso was known for his artwork during the Cubism and Expressionism movements. This artwork is one of his more famous artworks from the neo-classical period. It depicts two half-naked women running hand in hand along a sunny beach.

On the Beach (Sur la Plage) 1873 Edouard Manet

French Impressionist artist Edouard Manet was a well-known painter during the mid-19th century. This painting is one of his more famous artworks that pertains to life along the beach. It depicts a woman and a man sitting on the beach watching ships sailing by in the distance.

The Monk by the Sea Caspar David Friedrich

German Romantic landscape artist Caspar David Friedrich created this artwork around 1808 or 1810. It is among his most well-known paintings. It depicts a monk standing next to the seashore as the skies above and the ocean, stretch outward and upward.

The Beach at Trouville 1870 Claude Monet

French artist Claude Monet was a popular painter during the mid-to-late 19th century. In 1870 he painted a series of paintings depicting people lounging around on the beach. It was a common sight for those living on the southern coast of France. The series is called The Beach at Trouville.

Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries 1888 Vincent Van Gogh

Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh created this artwork toward the end of his life. It depicts the beach with boats and the ocean with waves lapping to shore.

Miranda – The Tempest – 1916 John William Waterhouse

English artist John William Waterhouse is one of the more well-known painters from the Romantic movement. He created a series of paintings depicting a woman standing next to the coast. Titled Miranda the woman stands next to a rocky shoreline as a storm approaches. It was completed in 1916 and is one of the few paintings in the Romantic style that depicts the blustery winds and crashing waves of the sea.

American Artists

Second Story Sunlight 1960 Edgar Hopper

American artist Edgar Hopper was known for creating some of the most iconic paintings of the early 20th century. He often created cityscapes. This artwork depicts the upper story of a house. Two women are seen lounging on the balcony one in a swimsuit basking in the sunshine.

Idle Hours 1894 William Merritt Chase

American artist William Merritt Chase is a painter from the Impressionist movement. In this artwork, he depicts women sitting in the grass by the seashore. This is considered to be one of his greatest artworks.