Martigues 

Gustave Loiseau created this painting of Martigues during a pivotal time in France, when the nation was grappling with industrialization and urbanization. Here, we see the port city rendered in impressionistic strokes. The canvas captures the movement of boats as they bob in the harbour, the architecture of the buildings, and the reflection of light on the water. Martigues, often called the "Venice of Provence," was a place where the old ways of life connected with the new. Loiseau, like many artists of his time, was interested in the relationship between the individual and the environment. This painting serves as a reflection on how identity is shaped by place, and how places change. By focusing on the everyday, Loiseau asks us to consider the narratives embedded in the landscapes we inhabit.