The Jetty at Le Havre 1868

This painting, by Claude Monet, captures the pier at Le Havre with dynamic brushstrokes and a muted palette. Waves churn, rendered in thick impasto, as they crash against the pier, creating a sense of movement and energy. The composition is divided by the strong horizontal of the jetty, contrasting the static man-made structure against the fluidity of the sea and sky. The lighthouse, a stable vertical form, stands as a focal point, while the figures on the pier are mere silhouettes. Monet’s application of paint is not about precise representation; instead, the visible brushstrokes emphasize the materiality of the paint itself, drawing attention to the surface of the canvas. This focus on materiality anticipates later modernist concerns with the intrinsic qualities of the medium, where the act of painting becomes as significant as the subject depicted. The rainbow appearing in the upper right corner can be understood as a symbol of transformation.