The Heckscher Museum of Art’s collection spans 500 years with particular emphasis on art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. American landscape painting and work by Long Island artists, past and present, are particular strengths, as is American and European modernism.
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L'Arrivée des Barques à Berck (The Arrival of Sailboats in Berck)
About this Work
L'Arrivée des Barques à Berck is a characteristic work by French artist Eugene Boudin, who is celebrated for his plein air seascapes and coastal views. Although recognized as a gifted artist in his own right—even catching the eye of poet, writer, and art critic Charles Baudelaire at the 1859 Salon—Boudin is best known as a mentor of Claude Monet and participant in the first Impressionist exhibition of 1874. As described by Baudelaire, Boudin's works captured the season, hour, and wind of seaside locales, yet with a sense of immediacy that surpassed that of his contemporaries—qualities that undoubtedly influenced Monet. Boudin grew up in Honfluer on the western coast of France, working on ships with his father before becoming a stationer and framer. Through this profession, he was introduced to the work of contemporary artists, including the Barbizon painters, whose commitment to painting contemporary scenes of nature would later guide his own approach. Throughout his career, Boudin visited many coastal villages, including Le Havre, Brittany, and Normandy, in search of subject matter, and he often made repeated visits over the years. Berck is a fishing port in northwest France, where Boudin produced many works from 1874 to 1890.