Arianna Rossi

Art Assignment

Dutch Fishing Boats, Verso: Sketches of Boats

Johan Barthold Jongkind (Dutch, 1819–1891)
Watercolor over black chalk on paper; verso black chalk
6 3/8 x 10 1/2 in. (16.2 x 26.7 cm)
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac D. Fletcher Collection, Bequest of Isaac D. Fletcher, 1917 (17.120.238)

Unlike the macabre and mostly morose pieces done by the greater part of impressionist,
this is more up beat and happy. It seems to be representing a warm summer day with
sailboats out purely for recreational means and not for war. This watercolor was painted
during the grim sad times of the Franco-Prussian War. Instead of depicting a gruesome
battle field with corpses of fallen soldiers and wounded ones, it depicts something more
like a vacation. The composition of this piece is more focused on the main boat [the left
side of canvas], and judging by the fact that the sky is clear and the sea isnʼt very
animated, it induces and aura of calm. When I first saw this piece at first I was indifferent,
and considered picking another creation to do this assignment, but then I realized that
picking something different from the usual Leonardo or Monet, it would be better to pick a
more unique and special piece. This particular piece is simple in the essence, but held a
profound message in my opinion. This watercolor tells me “Okay, there is indeed a war, but
should that stop us from enjoying a beautiful day and mother natures great creations? I
think not, lets have fun at the beach!”, and during those days, I think this is a message
many could relate to. The composition of this work is very interesting because it uses the
colors and space in a very captivating manner. The use of white and a slight touch of blue
is enticing to the eye, and the simple and the meager colors chosen as the palette were
very appropriate in this particular painting. The technique used by this artist is very simple,
as all watercolor art is, a simple black charcoal lines then filled in with a light water based
paint called watercolor.