Ladies and Gentlemen on the Beach, in Two Registers c. 1865

Eugène Boudin sketched "Ladies and Gentlemen on the Beach, in Two Registers" with watercolor and graphite on paper. These materials allowed for quick, portable impressions of the fashionable beachgoers, capturing the fleeting moments of leisure. Boudin's choice of watercolor lends itself to the soft, hazy atmosphere of the seaside, the fluidity mirroring the movement of the sea and the transience of light. The thin washes of color evoke the lightness of the fabrics and the airy feel of a summer’s day. The use of graphite suggests a deliberate attempt to capture the scene’s structural elements, providing a skeletal framework for the washes of color. The subject matter itself—the emerging leisure class enjoying the seaside—reflects the social transformations of the 19th century, tied to industrialization and increased opportunities for leisure. Boudin’s focus on these figures suggests a commentary on the changing dynamics of society and the evolving rituals of consumption and display. Considering the materials, the making, and the social context encourages us to see beyond the surface of the artwork.