Eugène Boudin (1824-1898)

A tireless observer of outdoor life and atmospheres, Boudin owes his fame first to the picturesque beach scenes that he painted in Normandy and Brittany, but also to his excellent knowledge of things of the sea and the boats that travel through it. Here, a vast basin inhabited by large buildings with lowered sails. The scene does not show any characters but presents a beautiful group of fishing vessels with a forest of masts and rigging in calm seas. The artist quickly but with a certain precision captured a situation undoubtedly to be exploited for a future painting. A bit like a Signac after him, Boudin completes his observations with quick touches of gray and brown wash: in the sky, where a few stretched clouds float, on the water where wavelets testify to a peaceful atmosphere, in certain sails more remarkable than others. The modernity of this technique recalls the very refined style of Albert Marquet. However, everything is focused on this very beautiful drawing to serve the work in the workshop.