The storm 1892

"The Storm" is an evocative scene rendered by Maxime Maufra with pastels, and gouache on paper. Maufra's application of pastel isn't about blending to perfection, but rather about capturing the fleeting dynamism of a tempestuous sky. The smudges and strokes of color speak to the artist's hand and the very directness with which he worked. The gouache adds body and opacity to the clouds, giving them weight and presence against the rawness of the paper. Maufra was part of a generation that turned away from the highly finished surfaces of academic painting, embracing instead an aesthetic of immediacy. This was partly a response to the rise of industrial production, a turn toward the handmade that valued the artist's touch. It also reflected a growing interest in the lives of ordinary people, particularly those who worked in the fields and on the sea. Maufra's stormy seascape, therefore, isn't just a representation of nature; it's a reminder of labor, vulnerability, and the elemental forces that shape human experience.