Fervaques, a Village Street 1881

Eugène Boudin painted this street scene of Fervaques, France, with oils, sometime in the latter half of the 19th century. His approach connects with a wider interest in France at this time in the everyday life of its citizens. The composition uses the buildings to draw us in and upward, toward the sky. To the right of the frame, we see a church steeple, a sign of the cultural centrality of religion in French village life. Figures occupy the sidewalks and street, going about their daily business. Notice how Boudin’s brushstrokes are loose and expressive. This way of painting reflects the growing interest among artists, at this time, in capturing the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere. To understand this work better, one might research the rise of Impressionism and its relationship to academic painting. We can explore how shifts in French society affected not only what was depicted but also how art was made.