(www.mfa.org)Parts - dark green shadow of the boat, the sailboats in the distance, the row boat, the attire of the boy, the bows in the girl's hair, the boat the children are in, the shadows of the boats in the distance, the fishing line, the different stances of the children, the dresses of the girls, wide array of colors in the water (light blue, dark blue, hints of yellow), the unusually small size of the boy's tie
Title/Subject - Calm Morning by Frank Weston Benson
The title of this painting creates a time frame which also explains the beautifully still water pictured.
Interrelationships - the fishing line to the children (the line is holding their focus), the focus of the children to the open water (where they are staring), the boy to the boat (his stance suggests his feeling of power and control), the boy to the girls (his feeling of dominance), the dark green shadow to the main boat, the texture/color of the open water to the boat (suggesting movement), the row boat to the other boats, the man rowing the row boat to the kids in the boat (people pictured on the open water)
Conclusion - As a whole, this painting depicts the power and strength that young boys hold and think they hold. Based on his stance, his feeling of superiority is apparent. However, by placing him in a setting controlled solely by nature that cannot be influenced by man represents the "personal fable" that many children feel.
