Eugène Boudin in Paris...
4:44 p.m.
In the city of Paris, a 19th century petit hotel houses the art collection which used to belong to Edouard André and Nélie Jacquemart. The house and the collection became a museum a few years ago. Visiting it is breathtaking: the exquisite architecture blends in with the vast collection, mainly of portraits, with artworks from Italian Renaissance to French Impressionism.
To keep the interest of visitors, the museum usually organises temporary exhibitions, with the collaboration of fellow museums which lend their artworks. Nowadays, there's a retrospective about Eugène Boudin (France, 1824-1898).
Scenes of the beach, by Eugène Boudin (1867)
The Jacquemart-André offers the perfect setting to recreate the work of an artist who so-well depicted the daily life of the 19th century. It's the first time since 1889 that a Parisian institution organises an exhibition of Eugène Boudin's work, a pioneer of Impressionism.
Concert at Deauville's casino, by Eugène Boudin (1865)
By 1862 going to the beach was the perfect outing and Boudin was among the first to depict such scene in the coasts of Normandie. With outmost detail, he described through paint not only the dresses but the quality of the fabrics. Thanks to his paintings, we can be witness of the uses and habits of his time.
Approaching Storm, by Eugène Boudin (1864)
However, his paintings were not appreciated among 19th century art-viewers. But avant-garde critics, and other artists quickly develop an interest for his skill, inspiring others such as Manet, Monet and even Degas.
The Beach at Villerville, by Eugène Boudin (1864)
Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 45.7 x 76.3 cm
Belonging to Chester Dale Collection.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
By the end of 1860, Boudin begins to paint sea subjects, which give him economic backup. Sensitive and poetic, he was able to depict skies and seas in greys and light blues, in spite of the difficulty of painting such a changing and constantly moving subject.
"I wanted to paint immense skies, but the artist proposes and the sky dictates. People think it's easy", he would say. One of those paintings belong to MNBA's permanent collection.
Le rivage de Portrieux, by Eugène Boudin (1875)
Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 32 x 46.5 cm
MNBA
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