High Tide, Étretat 1884

Daniel Ridgway Knight painted “High Tide, Étretat,” showing us a coastal scene filled with textured brushstrokes that capture the cool, misty air and the dynamic movement of the sea. The composition is built on a horizontal structure. Notice how the parallel lines of the shoreline and horizon create a sense of balance, even as the breaking waves introduce a lively rhythm. Knight uses a muted palette of blues, grays, and browns, emphasizing the materiality of the scene. The rough texture of the paint mimics the coarseness of the sand and the churning water. This focus on texture and the physical qualities of the paint aligns with a broader artistic shift towards emphasizing the artwork as an object in itself, rather than just a representation. By drawing attention to the surface and materiality, Knight invites us to consider how our perception is shaped by the very substance of the painting. This is a powerful reminder that what we see is always mediated through form.