Approaching Thunder Storm

Heade based the scene on a storm observed from Prudence Island around 1858. A man and dog face Narragansett Bay. The shore still receives light while clouds and lightning announce approaching weather.

The pale-hatted man sits facing the water. His stillness emphasises watching the approaching storm.

A small pale dog sits beside him. The pair supplies a human scale for the extensive bay.

A white triangular sail appears in the middle distance. Pale fabric stands out against the changing weather.

A heavy cloud stretches over the water. Its broad dark mass changes the illumination across nearly the entire landscape.

A thin sunlit shoreline remains visible in the distance. The narrow light shows shadow arriving unevenly.

Pale boulders project along the near bank. Still-lit stones contrast with the darkened water.

Heade travelled extensively, but this work began with a particular weather experience on the American coast. It holds a transitional state in which nearby shore and distant bay receive different light.