Houlgate Beach c. 19th century

Curator: Henri Antoine Gaston de Gourcy's "Houlgate Beach" offers us a glimpse into 19th-century coastal life. The Harvard Art Museums hold this remarkable piece. Editor: Oh, wow, I feel the immediate chill of the sea air! It’s like a memory flickering. Curator: Indeed! Gourcy's work reflects broader artistic engagements with leisure and landscape, particularly how the rise of seaside tourism changed perceptions of nature and class. Editor: Look at that sun breaking through the clouds. It almost feels like hope breaking through the heavy weight of the waves, doesn’t it? Curator: That tension you feel is potent. I think it speaks to how this period was grappling with industrial growth but also romanticizing a slower, more “natural” way of being. Editor: This piece reminds me of my grandfather; he loved the ocean, I wonder what he would think. Curator: It is incredible how art connects us across time and personal experience. Editor: Totally, it's more than just a scene; it's a portal.