Provincetown Beach

John Ross

Angularity and saturated color are the hallmarks of John Ross’s color woodcut style, combined with a jazzy, urban sensibility even in his portrayals of quaint towns and desert landscapes. The East Coast native often composed his works from an angle that captured a peak or hill from below, with upward facing movement that suggested the pace of modern expansion, the reach for new heights. In his depiction of Provincetown, Massachusetts, even the cottages that line the quiet harbor beach seem to be dancing or jumping and the steeple of the Town Hall soars to a rhythm produced from the artist’s own hand.

Provincetown’s reputation as an artist destination and color woodcut center had long been established by the time Ross created this color woodcut. In the 1960s it was still somewhat quiet, though its reputation as a tourist destination in the summers was beginning to take off. As of today, the population swells from its residential number of around 3,000 to around 60,000 at the peak of the tourist season.

Ross’s image captures a time that predates such staggering numbers, depicting a solitary sandy beach with two small boats, and a jumble of mismatched buildings under a deep blue evening sky. This composition was published in 1963 by Associated American Artists in New York.