Boats by the Normandy Shore 1823

Richard Parkes Bonington painted "Boats by the Normandy Shore" with oil on canvas; it captures a familiar tableau in human history. The image of boats has long resonated with our longing for exploration and trade. In ancient times, boats were more than a means of transport; they were symbols of transformation, carrying souls across the waters of life and death. This imagery can be traced back to ancient Egyptian funerary rites, where boats ferried souls into the afterlife, as well as the Greek myths of Charon, ferrying souls across the river Styx. Here, Bonington reduces these grand narratives to the quotidian. Yet, the echo of these ancient voyages persists. The presence of horses hints at toil, linking the elemental allure of the sea with the everyday struggles of human existence. The painting quietly evokes the cyclical nature of human life, deeply connected to water, memory, and the subconscious.