The Coastline at Berck at Low Tide 1882

Eugène Boudin captured The Coastline at Berck at Low Tide using oil on canvas, a traditional pairing that belies the radical modernity of his approach. Boudin was celebrated for his ability to capture the transient effects of light and atmosphere; here, his brushstrokes work to evoke the vastness of the sea, the ever-changing sky, and the dampness of the sand. Boudin, though, was also interested in the lives of ordinary people, and in this painting, he depicts a number of figures engaged in various activities on the beach. We can only assume most of them are fishermen. Consider the labor required to keep these boats afloat, the sheer physicality of hauling nets, the economics of this seaside community. Boudin does not give us a heroic view of labor; instead, he presents the quiet beauty of a working landscape. His sensitivity to materials, making, and context, elevate this above a mere genre scene, inviting us to contemplate the social and economic forces that shape our world.