George W. Sotter, Tugboat Docked in Gloucester

On summer vacation in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Sotter adopted a lighter palette and became attracted to realist subjects that harkened back to his youth in Pittsburgh. The tugboat, for example, is the quintessential “protagonist” of modernist realism, a hard-toiling vessel that does the heavy lifting in the harbor. This work reflects Sotter’s interest in light effects and atmospheric conditions. The red boat stands out against the muted blues and grays of the overcast day.