1907

Interior of a Cottage, Monhegan Island

American, 1882 - 1971

Kent first traveled to Monhegan Island, Maine, in 1905 to paint its dramatic headlands and harborside village. Impressed by the scenery and the self-sufficient spirit of the island’s inhabitants, he returned the following year, built a house, and became a part-time resident.

This early watercolor, a self-portrait of Kent in his Monhegan cottage with sketchpad in hand, is a rare interior scene by an artist who would become best known for his landscapes. The artist’s training as both an architectural draftsman and a painter are evident here in the clear definition of the domestic space and his sparing use of color to enliven the scene.