Georges Seurat (1859–1891)
1888
Oil paint on canvas
Port-en-Bessin, summer 1888
Life on the coast of Normandy followed the rhythm of the tide, which determined when boats could leave and enter port. In this work, the outer harbour of Port-en-Bessin is almost entirely dry and a boat rests at an awkward angle on the sand. Georges Seurat’s brushstrokes are remarkably varied, both in their size and shape. The stone structures are rendered with thick dots of light colour, while the shadows are depicted with much finer points of dark blue enlivened by orange and red. This work is one of only three canvases by Seurat known to have been sold during his lifetime (the other two are numbers 6 and 7).