Three Masted Ship at Dock 1883

Eugène Boudin painted "Three Masted Ship at Dock" without providing the date; it’s held in a private collection. Boudin, who once said he was captivated by the sea, the sky, and the beach, gives us a view of the maritime world. In 19th-century Europe, ships like this one were crucial for trade and expansion, but they also symbolize the complexities of colonialism, and global exchange. Think of the stories these ships carry - both the wealth and goods, but also the human cargo, the indentured, and the enslaved. Boudin’s brushstrokes capture the ship's physical presence and hint at its layered history. The painting evokes a sense of the open sea, a feeling of both freedom and constraint. It acknowledges a history of exploration, exploitation, and the human cost of progress.