Port-en-Bessin: The Outer Harbor At Low Tide is an oil painting on canvas by Georges Seurat. Created in 1888 while he was staying in the Normandy resort of Port-en-Bessin, it depicts a scene of docks, sailboats, exposed rocks, and a waiting boat. Seurat’s intention was to capture the luminosity of the open air, utilizing his pointillism and neo-impressionist style to convey the intricate nuances of colors and light.
The artwork measures 54.3 x 66.7 cm and is a part of the Saint Louis Art Museum’s collection. The painting showcases Seurat’s mastery of pointillism, a technique that involves creating the image from thousands of tiny dots of color, and neo-impressionism, a movement that emphasizes the scientific principles of optics and color theory. The use of these stylistic techniques in tandem creates a sense of depth and luminosity in the painting.
Seurat’s “Port-en-Bessin: The Outer Harbor At Low Tide” has been reproduced in giclee print and stretched canvas print formats, making it widely available to appreciators of his work. This piece exemplifies Seurat’s vision of capturing the intricacies of light and color in the outdoors, displaying his mastery of innovative techniques in the artistic world.
