Petticoats on the Beach (recto); Breton Women on the Beach (verso) c. 1865 - 1870

Eugène Boudin created this intimate watercolor and graphite drawing on paper, titled "Petticoats on the Beach," capturing a scene of Breton women. Boudin painted en plein air, focusing on fleeting moments of everyday life, particularly the leisure activities of the emerging middle class. Boudin's work provides a glimpse into the gendered aspects of leisure in 19th-century France. The women, adorned in their petticoats and traditional Breton attire, are seen in a public space, yet their presence is framed by the expectations and constraints of their time. Boudin captures the nuances of their social interactions and the subtle expressions of identity through clothing and posture. "I have tried to capture what is most elusive," Boudin once said, "the light and air." In this work, he masterfully conveys the atmosphere of the beach, inviting us to reflect on the intersection of place, identity, and social experience. The drawing reminds us of the historical context that shapes our understanding of leisure, gender, and representation.