The Departure of the Boats, Étretat

The Departure of the Boats, Étretat is an important oil on canvas painting created by the leading French Impressionist Claude Monet in 1885. This stunning coastal scene captures the unique chalk cliffs and famous natural arches of Étretat, Normandy, a location the artist explored extensively during the mid-1880s. The work is a prime example of Monet’s dedication to capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere (en plein air), a core principle of the Impressionism movement that flourished in France during the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Monet employed the vigorous, broken brushwork characteristic of his style, using thick impasto to convey the texture of the churning sea and the solidity of the majestic rock formations. The composition focuses on the dramatic interaction between the vast expanse of the choppy English Channel and the small boats, their sails billowing as they depart the sheltered harbor. Monet uses a cool, muted palette of grays, blues, and whites, punctuated by touches of warmer ochres, emphasizing the hazy, often turbulent weather typical of the northern French coastline.

Unlike earlier, smoother academic styles, this painting conveys raw sensory experience, prioritizing visual sensation over detailed realism. Monet’s masterful control over color temperature allows the light, hitting the tips of the waves and the wet sand, to appear genuinely luminous. As a major figure whose prolific output defined the aesthetics of his era, Monet’s works are essential for understanding modern art history. This canvas serves as a significant marker in the history of The Departure of the Boats, Étretat and is proudly housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Due to its historical importance and the renown of the artist, high-quality images and prints of this monumental French work are widely available for study through public domain collections.