The painting shows a beach scene with several people gathered on the shore. The people are gathered between four white tent-like structures in the center of the painting. All the people are elaborately dressed in colorful gowns or suits, with many wearing hats or holding parasols. Behind the group is the ocean, with a few people swimming on the left. The color scheme includes earthy tones for the sand and beach huts, and brighter colors like whites, blacks, blues, and reds for the people's clothing. The sky is predominantly painted in soft blues and grays with some wispy white clouds.
Read the visual description

The painting shows a beach scene with several people gathered on the shore. The people are gathered between four white tent-like structures in the center of the painting. All the people are elaborately dressed in colorful gowns or suits, with many wearing hats or holding parasols. Behind the group is the ocean, with a few people swimming on the left. The color scheme includes earthy tones for the sand and beach huts, and brighter colors like whites, blacks, blues, and reds for the people's clothing. The sky is predominantly painted in soft blues and grays with some wispy white clouds.

National Gallery of Art · Painting

Beach Scene

Eugène Boudin

Date
1862
Medium
oil on wood
Dimensions
overall: 31.2 x 47.5 cm (12 5/16 x 18 11/16 in.) framed: 47.3 x 63.5 cm (18 5/8 x 25 in.)
Classification
Painting
Accession number
1983.1.13
Credit line
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CF

Subjects and terms

  • painted surface
  • French
  • amusement
  • genre
  • Impressionist
  • Beach
Provenance

(Galerie Joseph Allard, Paris). (Piaggi, Paris).[1] purchased 1960 from an anonymous collection in England by (Arthur Tooth and Sons, London, Paris and New York); sold July 1960 to Mr. Paul Mellon, Upperville, VA;[2] gift 1983 to NGA. [1] Provenance according to Robert Schmit, _Eugène Boudin, 1824-1898_, 3 vols., Paris, 1973: 1:no. 257. [2] Acquisition source and date according to Paul Mellon records in NGA curatorial files.

Inscription

lower left: E. Boudin 1862

NGA object ID 61363. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.