After a Shower, Nahant, Massachusetts

In the 1860s Haseltine established his reputation with coastal scenes noted for their topographical accuracy. This painting resulted from an 1864 sketching trip to Nahant, a narrow peninsula north of Boston and exclusive summer resort. Haseltine’s interest in this locale was fostered by his familiarity with the work of Louis Agassiz (1807–1873), America’s preeminent geologist of the period. According to Agassiz, Nahant’s rocky coastline bore evidence of the earth’s formation through volcanic and glacial activities. [source]