François-Alphonse Fonèche (1825-1880)

The spectator, caught between two opposite cardinal points, finds themselves at the crossroads of striking scenes that respond to each other as much as they clash. On one side, a sunset lines the sky with a warm but dark palette, while on the opposite side, the atmosphere is partially luminous. The diagonals formed by the cliffs on one side and the ship on the other frame the work and its counterpart, thus forming a single composition. This striking symmetry is accentuated by the continuity of the horizon lines and the inversion of the direction of the waves.