Fitz Henry Lane conveys a sense of peaceful stillness in this intimate scene of the calm waters of Penobscot Bay illuminated by the shimmering pink of the setting sun. The quiet, contemplative mood of this painting is more important to the artist than conveying details about the specific location or end-of-day activities. Both Lane and Martin Johnson Heade are often connected to American Transcendentalism, the spiritual philosophy that held that meditative experiences with nature could bring forth higher spiritual truths.