Baie de Hyères 1951

Jean Hugo painted this view of the Baie de Hyères in France using oils. The small scale and format of the work raise questions about its intended audience and purpose. Painted on a pebble rather than canvas, this artwork stands apart from mainstream art institutions. The choice of format makes this less a salon-worthy work and more of an intimate keepsake; was this artwork commissioned, or was it intended as a personal gift or memento of a trip to the Mediterranean coast? In either case, its creation can be seen as a kind of anti-academic statement, one which brings art out of the salons and into the sphere of everyday life. To better understand this we might research the artist's other unconventional works. What were the occasions for which he made such art? The answers to questions such as these help us to interpret art not as an isolated creation, but rather as an integral part of social life.