En route pour la pêche (Setting Out to Fish)

En route pour la pêche (Setting Out to Fish) is a dynamic oil on canvas painting created by the renowned American artist John Singer Sargent in 1878. Executed during a critical period of his artistic development, this work exemplifies Sargent’s early mastery of light and atmospheric effects. The painting belongs to the period designated as 1876 to 1900, capturing the shifting aesthetic sensibilities of the late nineteenth century.

The subject matter focuses on a scene of coastal activity, likely depicting fishermen or sailors preparing their vessels for the day's labor. Sargent utilizes fluid, expressive brushwork, characteristic of his transition away from purely academic styles toward more Impressionistic methods, though he always maintained a strong grounding in formal drawing. The composition emphasizes movement and anticipation, rendering the figures and water through rich textures achieved by careful application of oil paint. This early piece reveals the foundational technique that would define Sargent’s celebrated career, setting the stage for his later triumphs in both portraiture and genre scenes.

Though much of his mature career took place abroad, the piece reflects Sargent’s standing within American art history. The canvas offers valuable insight into the cultural and stylistic trends prevalent among expatriate American artists operating in Europe during the 1870s. As a significant document of this era, the painting now resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it is preserved for scholarly and public access. Due to its age and institutional status, the image of En route pour la pêche often falls within the public domain, allowing for high-quality prints and reproductions to be shared globally for educational and appreciative purposes.