Alfred Cohen: An American Artist in Europe - Between Figuration and Abstraction

Prominent diagonal lines lead the eye to the left: the houses lean slightly to the right, as if braced against the sea, at the same angle as the flags. They create a sense of movement across the picture: a sense of the ebb and flow of the tide, the buffeting back and forth of the gusts of wind, and the flow of people across the beach. Everyone is well-wrapped up; it's the North Sea coast, after all. But the number of people suggests the holiday season. The weather's dry and fair, but the beautiful turquoise sky is darkly overcast. The picture captures the feel of the East Anglian coast: the contrast between the vast open spaces of sky and sea, and the busy-ness of the seaside, bustling in season with colour and people; but always changeable with contrasting moods, light and weather.