Introduction
The landscape has often been used as a descriptive element and to create an atmospheric perspective in art work by different artists since ancient times. Beautiful landscapes are believed to detoxify the spirit and mind, and carry a healing power as stated by Andrews (1999, p.53). They are an effort by the artist to capture the fleeting moment of nature in time on the canvas.Thesis
“The Shore at Trouville Sunset Effect” by Courbet, who is known to initiate the Realist movement in 19th-century that bridged the Romantic Movement and the Impressionists (The Shore at Trouville Sunset Effect, 2016). The Oil on canvas was done by the artist in 1865-1869 and is displayed at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford. The cool Norman country, especially the sea and river line between Honfleur and Trouville have been much of an inspiration for artists. The grainfields, orchards, wide gray sands and dusky heather all melting into an ensemble of color where sea and river meet has been captured by world renowned artists on their canvases (Madame de Cassin's Pictures, 2016).Description French painter Courbet has painted several figural works and portraits, it is the landscape paintings that have dominated his works from the late 1850s as asserted by Lambirth (2007, p.1 ).The artist defines himself as a landscape painter and landscape constitutes more than two-thirds of his compositions. When one looks at the artwork “The Shore at Trouville Sunset Effect” by Courbet, one is struck by the expanse of its depth. The artist certainly pushes the boundaries of landscape painting by making it demonstrative and providing a visual experience of the onlooker. The viewer takes several minutes to take in the wide expanse of the skies, the bluish sea, and the muddy sand. The sea takes on a deep bluish green tint because of the fading light. There is a darker line of the sea that demarcate it from the looming sky overhead. There is a small boat at a distant but it is hazy and blurred. Still, by its shape and sail, it seems to move slowly and confidently. The lower end of the canvas is covered with brown rocks that are scattered all over and vary in shape and size. Courbet makes use of landscape to create a certain mood and expression of time in the mind of the viewer. The calm sea, gentle clouds and soft lights of the landscape seem just the perfect time to sail.Balance and harmony As one looks at the distribution of objects, textures, and colors within the composition, there is a balance and harmony. While on one hand, one is held by the expanse of clouds in the vast sky, on the other hand, the gaze moves down on the rocky beach. On the whole, the landscape creates color harmonies and beauty that promote a peaceful effect. Clearly, the artist uses landscape as a structural aid to influence the mood of the viewer. The colors and textures of the canvas look inviting and create a perfect day to sail.Strokes and lines Courbet makes use of smoky brush strokes that dull the luminous colors of the sky and sea. He makes use of smaller and rough strokes to add to the texture in the rocks and the sand on the beach as well as the waves in the seas, plus show their depth. There are broken patches of paint carrying both the dark and light areas. He has used both brush and palette knife render the rocks and the foaming waves on the surface of the seas. Still, those waves are mild and seem gentle to the rocks. The soft colors and dreamy atmosphere prove that this is an appropriate time and day to sail.
Light The sky as the primary source of light here and the clouds in the sky make the effect of the light dim in the landscape. One can see specks of the blue of the sky behind those white clouds that are scattered all over. They take a pale white color that changes to a reddish tint as they move closer to the horizon and meet the sea. They provide an interesting foreground to the pale reddish orange sunset happening behind. The artist, with the right treatment of color and light is successful in creating a peaceful mood on the canvas. There are no conflicts seen here in the nature that seems to be in perfect harmony. There is enough light and this is what makes the moment an appropriate time to sail.
Atmospheric perspective The artwork is rich in atmospheric perspective as the air appears transparent and empty up close and dense as it moves towards the horizon. The sky takes on the colors of the sunset and is blue, pale white and reddish orange in tint. The light from the sun is getting covered by the clouds covering the sky and giving them different tint. The objects closer to the spectator are much clearer. The further an object from the viewer, the greater is the impact of the sky. Depending on its location in the scene, the clouds take different colors. The atmosphere is used by the artist to change the color, lighten its value and compress the contrast. He softens the detail of an object, for example, the boat in the distance. As space recedes in distance, the intensity and the tint of the color fades, and there is a lesser contrast of lights and darks. The atmospheric depth of the canvas hides nothing form the viewer and beckons him to the sea. Clearly, the landscape in “The Shore at Trouville Sunset Effect” by Courbet has been used as the main theme as well as an expression of mood. The spectator of the picture is left alone by the artist to explore his feelings as he views the artwork. He is able to feel the peace and calm in the landscape, because of the harmonies interplay of the forces of nature here. The seas, the sky and the shores are part of a play showing sunset on stage. The subdued colors create a peaceful effect because of the way they have been organized and sued in the composition. The viewer can gaze for a long time at those rocks, the sky and the sea, and gets the clear message that this is just the perfect time and day to sail. One gets enamored by the cloud covered skies with hints of blue and the calm seas with gentle waves. The artist is successful in manipulating expressiveness on a two-dimensional surface. He captures the rugged beauty of the landscape that reflects his intense association with his native countryside (Lambirth, 2007).
Conclusion Landscapes always played a major role in Courbet’s career. “The Shore at Trouville Sunset Effect” shows the expertise of the artist in using the elements of nature and atmosphere on the planar surface of the canvas. Courbet's unusual manipulation of color pigments and with a surprising smoothness is at display here. When one looks at his contribution to the genre of landscape and his use of the color application, He discovered virgin lands where no one had set foot, and painted landscapes straight from the nature, thus enhancing their sense of realism. He makes use of landscape theme here to influence the mood of the viewer and invoke feelings of calm and peace in him. He is able to convince the onlooker that this is the right time to set sail, by playing with the colors, the light, and the atmosphere. The landscape has been used as a central theme here and to influence the mood of the viewer in a certain way by the artist. He knows very well as to what colors to use, the kind of brushstrokes to go for and how to create visual "sense" of depth on the canvas. Overall, the uses the landscape primarily and certain structural elements to prove that time that painted this painting was an appropriate day to sail.
References
Andrews, M. (1999).Landscape and Western Art. Oxford University Press, 1(1), 1–248. Lambirth, A. (2007). Courbet and the modern landscape by Mary Morton and charlotte eyerman. The Art Book, 14(2), 29-30. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8357.2007.00794_10.xMadame de Cassin's Pictures. (2016). archive jstor Retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/jstor-25628641/25628641_djvu.txt
The Shore at Trouville: Sunset Effect (2016), the art stack Retrieved from https://theartstack.com/artist/gustave-courbet/the-shore-at-trouville-sunset-effect
