Vintage 1979 MCM Impressionist Watercolor of Boats at Boatslip, Signed Original

This Vintage Impressionist Watercolor by Sam Marcus in 1979 is nicely composed and uses few colors. It doesn’t appear to be a sunny day, likely overcast since we see little blue color in the sky or the water. What colors we do see are muted. There are “pops” of colors red, blue, brown, grey and dark brown, mainly on the boats. I think the artist is charmed by the boats.

The water is particularly still. This whole scene seems unusually quiet and still. Note the boat in the foreground with the maritime ID numbers 11S -79-J. He cleverly slips the year of the painting on the boat. Perhaps, the other letters and numerals mean something to him, too.

I think that this is a lovely piece that’s got a more modern edge to it. It’s definitely a recurring subject in MCM art. It could be a center point or accessory painting in any room. It measures 22 x 28 in a frame with a mat.