Departure from the Port of Honfleur 1864

Editor: We're looking at Johan Barthold Jongkind's "Departure from the Port of Honfleur," a drawing from 1864. It's a flurry of lines, capturing the movement of water and the activity of a port. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, first off, isn't it fascinating how Jongkind, with just the simplest of lines, conjures an entire atmosphere? The density of the marks almost mimics the busy energy of the port. I find myself wondering what it smelled like, the mix of salty air and… well, you know, all the harbor funk! Have you ever been to a working port? Editor: A very touristy one, yes! So you are getting a sense of being *there*, of *being* in the port from that technique? Curator: Exactly! And think about Honfleur in 1864. Jongkind was ahead of the curve, part of that first wave of artists embracing plein-air painting. Notice how the light shimmers off the water, how he captures a sense of a fleeting moment? The man was chasing after ephemerality! What do you make of the composition itself? Editor: The large ship on the left really anchors the image. The eye then travels across to the lighthouse, picking up smaller vessels along the way. It's quite dynamic. Curator: I love that you picked up on that anchoring effect! It gives stability to an otherwise chaotic scene. Makes you feel the solidness of the harbor against the unpredictable ocean. It’s also a lesson, for me, in trusting one’s initial impressions – those sketches made *en plein air* truly became the foundations for the Impressionist movement, don't you think? Editor: It does make you think how innovative Jongkind was! Curator: Absolutely! Every time I look at this, I learn something new about seeing the world with fresh eyes.