Berck; le départ des barques 1890

Eugène Boudin captured this scene with oil on canvas, a traditional material for painting in the 19th century. But its apparent simplicity belies how art and industry are intertwined. Boudin applied the paint in layers, creating depth and texture that evoke the choppy sea. Notice the brushstrokes, thick in some areas, thin in others, capturing the movement of the boats and the waves. Oil paint itself was becoming an industrialized product at this time, more readily available than ever before. Consider the labor involved, not only in the making of the painting but in the boats depicted here. The fishermen and sailors, the carpenters who built the boats, the rope makers who made the rigging - all this human effort is implicated in Boudin’s scene. He wasn’t just painting a pretty picture, but a portrait of a working world. So, next time you see an oil painting, remember that it's not just about the image, but about the materials, the processes, and the people involved in its creation.