The Mill, Saint-Cenery 1892

Eugène Boudin painted "The Mill, Saint-Cenery" using oil on canvas, a traditional choice that evokes the textures and colors of the natural world. The work's materiality deeply influences its appearance. Boudin masterfully captures the rough texture of the stone mill and the fluidity of the water, using a blend of brushstrokes to evoke a sense of the site and the surrounding landscape. The painting shows the tools of rural labor, and the work required to transform raw material into a usable product. Boudin engages with a long tradition of landscape painting, elevating a common scene to a level of aesthetic appreciation. In doing so, Boudin directs us to the work of making, and the work *at* the mill, connecting the rural landscape with the labor and social context of the late 19th century. This approach expands our understanding of the painting, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and everyday life.