From Bold Island, Maine

From Bold Island, Maine — John Marin. 1923.

Medium: Watercolor with blotting, fabricated charcoal, and charcoal wash, on moderately thick, moderately textured, ivory wove paper. Dimensions: 43.2 × 51.5 cm (17 1/16 × 20 5/16 in.).

Collection record: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

This is a view from an island on the western side of Jerico Bay, which served as a reference point for sailors headed west into Stonington, Maine. Strong triangles formed by two pine trees are echoed by the white sail of a fishing vessel. From the pooling of his washes, it seems Marin worked upright. Playing with his paint, he let the urge to manipulate it drive the marks he made. He reinforced his watercolor lines with fabricated chalk, establishing them as symbols of the forces that connect the big elements of nature. He contrasted the deep black charcoal lines with broad, pale, transparent watercolor brushstrokes, creating a sense of energy. The painted internal frame keeps warring elements in check and signals the artist’s filtering of objective reality through his own experience.

Description: © Art Institute of Chicago, original record, CC BY 4.0. HTML formatting removed; wording retained. Other artwork metadata: CC0.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.