After the Blow

To those for whom Benton’s name is synonymous with depictions of rural life or agricultural labor, the nautical subject of After the Blow might come as a surprise. From 1918 through 1974 Benton and his family summered on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. In the early 1940s, a hurricane hit the island causing small sailing crafts to founder or be tossed ashore. This lithograph shows a dramatic rescue attempt amidst a roiling sea and storm-angered clouds. Although a lifeline has been tossed to the people aboard the listing craft, the outcome of the effort is yet unknown.