Eric bought tickets to the
at the Seattle Museum
What draws artists to an area to create art? The setting, natural and man made and the people in their daily activities are two reasons.
The quaint fishing village of Etretat on France's northwest coast has sheer chalk cliffs, arches and a needle jutting out to the surf. Village life and the fishing fleet are subjects for an artist to capture in different media.
Claude Monet made multiple trips to Etretat to paint the famous cliffs and the village's fishing boats under differing weather conditions and from different perspectives.
La Falaise & the Port d'Aval
1883
This work was done during Monet's first visit to Etretat. The chalk cliffs are dark and foreboding beneath the grey wintery sky. The sea is rough, making access to the outcroppings dangerous by foot and by boat.
Fishing Boats at Etreat
1885
Claude Monet grew up the in nearby port city of Le Harve and had inside knowledge of the fishing industry. While many tourists saw this scene of boats on the beach quaint or picturesque, Monet saw boats forced ashore by heavy weather.
Boats on the Beach at Etretat
1885
This painting uses insider knowledge to let the viewer enter look closely at a village that depends on fishing. The boats sit on the beach, with their masts attached, under a grey sky with choppy waves waiting for gentler seas before setting off for the day's catch.
The Departure of the Boats
1885
The weather has cleared, the water is calm. Boats set out for a day of fishing on calm water.
1885
The Waves at the Manneport
Monet took his easel, canvases, paints, and brushes up a winding pathway to capture this oft painted scene from above. The afternoon sunlight highlights the golds and reds in the vegetation. The chalky cliffs gather color as the sun sinks lower...
The Cliffs of Etretat
1885
This work was painted on a sunny winter afternoon. Monet captures the light on the rock formations and their reflections in the shallow water just off shore.
1885
Could this be a giant striding out into the roiling sea? Monet uses perspective, the light, and weather conditions to capture the changing features of this arch.
Manne-port, Entretat
1885
Monet took chances on his hikes to see Etretat's formations from different vantage points. This painting of the backside of Manne-port captures the winter day with little sun. I imagine that the work was done quickly to capture the cliffs in changing light.
The artist moved on to other settings in France and Europe. Monet is best known for his Water Lily paintings which were created toward the end of his long career.
No comments:
Post a Comment