Prendergast, Maurice Brazil, << PREHN duhr `gast,` MAW rihs BRAZ uhl >> (1858-1924), was an American painter and illustrator. His paintings capture the life and movement of crowds in city parks and at the seaside. They show his familiarity with European Postimpressionist experiments in handling form, color, and light.
Prendergast was born on Oct. 10, 1858, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and grew up in Boston. He was attracted by Robert Henri’s philosophy of independent and spontaneous expression in art. In 1908, he exhibited with Henri’s group of realistic painters called The Eight (later called the Ashcan School by critics). In 1913, Prendergast exhibited in the Armory Show of modern art in New York City. He died on Feb. 1, 1924.
See Ashcan School ; Henri, Robert .
