Eugene Boudin (1824-1898)

Boudin was drawn to the beaches of Trouville, where he prolifically painted the wealthy bourgeoisie who flocked to the coast for their summer sojourn. After the railroad station of Trouville was built in 1863, it transformed into a transplant of Parisian boulevard culture, littered with Crinoline skirts and parasols as soon as the casinos opened on the first of July. Boudin's vibrant paintings captured this modern escape from the city, with merry gatherings socializing and taking in the sun.

This later panel bears all the richness of his most iconic Trouville scenes, while also delving deeper into the social dynamics of the chic vacationers. With all the beauty and detail of his most renowned plein air painting, Boudin nevertheless presents a careful study of the group's psychosis. Though grouped tightly together, none of these wealthy bourgeoisies admire the natural setting nor actively interact with one another, instead behaving as city-dwellers at a café might. This enticing work demonstrates Boudin's obsession with the groups of people sitting on the beach, expertly rendered before a backdrop delicate sky.