Boudin, Eugène, Fishing Boats at Kerhor, 1872

Boudin was from a seafaring family in Le Havre, a harbor and resort town on the coast of Normandy. Rather than go to sea, he ran a stationery shop and began to exhibit works by the Barbizon School artists—who were exploring new maritime subject matter that was becoming popular with visitors. With Constant Troyon’s encouragement and lessons in plein-air painting, Boudin abandoned his shop to become a professional artist specializing in coastal scenes. Here, a harbor in Brittany is shown with the fishing fleet putting in to port ahead of menacing storm clouds; old-fashioned sailing ships lie at anchor off the coast.