Marée Basse c. 1888 - 1895

Eugène Boudin painted ‘Marée Basse’ with oil on panel to capture a coastal scene. The composition shows us boats clustered on the shore during low tide. The gathering of boats is more than a mere depiction; it's an echo of humanity’s relationship with the sea. These boats, tools for travel and trade, resemble flocks of birds come to roost. Consider the ancient symbol of the ship: from funerary boats carrying souls in ancient Egypt to the ships braving storms in Renaissance allegories. The vessel is constantly reborn as an emblem of life's journey and its inherent uncertainties. Boudin’s boats call to mind similar imagery that surfaces across epochs. This continuity speaks to a shared, subconscious understanding of the human condition, its collective memories and fears. The boats invite us into a world where memory, emotion, and symbol converge.