Antibes, Le Fort Carré 1893

Eugène Boudin painted this coastal scene of Antibes and Le Fort Carré using oil on canvas. Boudin, like many of his contemporaries, opted for this material for its portability and the way it captured light and atmosphere. Look closely, and you'll notice how Boudin uses the fluidity of oil paint to render the scene with loose, visible brushstrokes. The textures he creates mimic the scene itself, from the rough, rocky coastline to the light, airy sky. Consider too the social context of this painting: Boudin was part of a shift towards plein air painting, where artists left the studio to capture the fleeting effects of light and weather firsthand. This new approach was made possible by the availability of mass-produced paints and canvases. So while Boudin's technique may seem like an individual artistic expression, it was deeply intertwined with the industrialization of art materials and the rise of a leisure class with time to appreciate these scenes. It's a reminder that even the most beautiful landscapes are shaped by the materials, making, and social context in which they're created.