Throughout his life, Maurer sought refuge from the city in nature, which extended to life in America after his return. The present work combines his two favorite activities, painting and fishing. Maurer biographer Elizabeth McCausland recorded his time spent in Westport with his friend Arthur Dove, highlighting the activity of fishing depicted in the present work: “At Westport Maurer found the fun and excitement which were lacking in his cabined existence in New York. He went fishing with Dove . . . Alfy carved and painted gilded beautiful casting plugs, a few of which survive.” And later: “The memory of simple, enduring, homely experiences persisted in Maurer’s transitional Abstraction: Fishing. Painted in oil…this recaptures the excitement the fisherman-artist felt as he saw the fish rise to his lure." [1]

After Maurer’s death, his work was collected by Hudson Walker, an art collector and dealer from Minneapolis who had an instrumental role in the founding of the Weisman Art Museum. He gifted much of his Maurer collection there. Hudson Walker was the grandson of T. B. Walker, founder of the Walker Art Gallery.