Existing comment:
Eugene Boudin
A French Fishing Fleet with Packet Boat, 1889
In this painting, a fishing fleet is under sail on a very windy day off the coast of northern France. Boudin's rapid brushstrokes capture the wind-blown clouds and white-capped waves. To the right of the fleet, a puff of steam rises from a packet boat (a coastal or river streamer that plied a regular route and carried passengers, freight, and mail). With the juxtaposition of traditional sailing vessels and modern steam power, Boudin explores the theme of modernization common in much of his work. It has been suggested that this painting was exhibited in the Salon of 1889, possibly as a companion to Entrance to the Port of Le Havre, which is also in this collection. |