Women on the Beach at Berck

Eugène Boudin

National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts a sandy beach under a vast, light blue sky. The horizon is in the center of the painting where the blue sky blends into the blue water. In the center of the painting, a group of women are on the beach, some standing and some seated. The women have light skin and wear clothing in shades of brown, dark blue, and red. They all wear headscarves covering their hair, mostly white except for one that is dark blue. Some of the women carry baskets, while others set them on the sandy ground. In the background, there are faint shapes near the shoreline created by small daubs of paint that suggest other people. The brushstrokes in the painting are thick and visible, especially those that create the shapes of the women. Small details are suggested with dashes and dots of paint instead of being shown clearly.