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International Art Treasures Web Magazine August 2004 |
Manet by the Sea
Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam
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His first marine work was historical in nature, depicting the sinking of one of the South Confederate privateers, in The Battle of the USS Kearsarge and the CSS Alabama. This particular battle took place off the Normandy coast and yet was attributed to the US civil war. The Alabama, the notorious raiding ship of the union, had wrecked havoc for years. The Kearsage located the Alabama and a fierce fight took place. Manet's work was on display within one month of the battle. |
Manet often vacationed on the French coast at Bordeaux and Arcachon in the Southwest and Boulogne and Berck in the north. He would sketch while on holiday and produce canvases in his studio.
Claude Monet encouraged Manet to paint outdoors. Manet responded with a painting of his wife Suzanne and his brother Eugène seated on the beach. Take a close look at the canvas and grains of sand can be seen suggesting that this canvas was actually painted at a beach.
Title: On the beach – Suzanne and Eugène Manet at Berck,1873
Artist: Édouard Manet (France, 1832-1883)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 59.6 x 73.2 cm
Collection Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Life interest gift of Jean-Edouard Dubrujeaud
Image Courtesy: The Van Gogh Museum
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His final two marine paintings was his impression of the escape of Henri Rochefort from the French penal colony at New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Each piece is set at night, with the sea boldly painted in color, using shadows and shading to illuminate the scene and add to the drama of the moment. Manet preferred to focus on unusual perspectives and used a very limited color range, bringing a fresh approach to the subject of marine painting. Henri Rochefort was a radical journalist and sometime politician who had been exiled because of his involvement in the Paris Commune. He dramatically escaped in 1874 and after 6 years was allowed to return to France after an amnesty was granted to him. |
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Manet and the Sea focuses on the "inspirational" dialogue between Édouard Manet and Claude Monet, who is included in this exhibit. It was Monet who would adopt the powerful brushstrokes and bold colors that was typical of Manet that are evident in his works that are included in this exhibition. |
Manet, upon learning that an artist was displaying canvases using the name "Monet", at first believed the upstart was trying to cash in on Manet's fame with such a similar name. The two artists would meet and become friends.
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The collection is enhanced with works from other noted impressionists. These include Pierre-Auguste Renoir, James McNeill Whistler and Berthe Morisot. Many of these works are on display for the first time in the Netherlands. Additionally, the Van Gogh Museum has another exhibition focused on the maritime works of Van Gogh which is on display concurrently with Manet: Impressions of the Sea. Patrons should be sure to make time to view both spectacular retrospectives of two master artists. |
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Special Events
July 30, 2004 7:30 pm (Two Events)
Maritime Netherlands: Frans van Dusschoten will broadcast and discuss excerpts
from Maritime, his TV Series, in Dutch.
Guided Tour: Édouard Manet: Impressions of the Sea, in English. Maximum 20 participants.