Dunkirk, the Holland Basin 1889

Eugène Boudin made this oil painting, Dunkirk, the Holland Basin, at an unknown date. The subject is a busy French port, but what can it tell us about the social and institutional landscape of late 19th-century France? Take note of the industrial buildings on the right, contrasted with the sailing ships that still dominate the scene. What we see here is a society in transition, economically and socially. France struggled to keep pace with the industrial might of Britain and Germany, and her artists often focused on this changing world. Boudin was a founder member of the Société des Artistes Français, which was dominated by establishment figures committed to Academic art. Boudin's choice to paint everyday scenes, rather than historical or mythological subjects, was quietly radical. To understand this painting better, we can consult records of French industry and shipping, and learn more about the Société des Artistes Français. Art is not made in a vacuum; it reflects a specific moment in time.