Stacy Tolman 

(1860-1935)

A good beach picture will get you almost every time, especially if there are figures and other typical beach subject matter. Stacy Tolman, who trained in Europe and at the M.F.A., was a familiar name to me, and an artist I associated with Providence, Rhode Island, but he was certainly not on my want list. This compellingly charming little beach scene once again changed my perception and was obtained from Rhode Island dealer Stephen Motyka in 2004. Not familiar with the intricate shoreline in and around Newport, I don’t know exactly where the image was painted. The artist’s masterpiece, an interior scene of the printmaker W. H. Bicknell seated at his workbench, is owned by the Metropolitan Museum. Tolman was active in all the Providence art associations and was a teacher at the Rhode Island School of Design from 1889 to 1905. This example is most likely from later in his career, reflecting a lighter palette and looser brush- work. Its simplicity, yet strong color, makes it a very appealing little painting.