1870
oil
canvas
From the collection of Ashmolean Museum
Mussel-gatherers at Villerville is a 1870 oil by Charles François Daubigny, a Realism work, held at Ashmolean Museum.
This painting shows a group of people gathered on a beach, collecting mussels. The group is centered in the image, with the sea stretching out behind them. The sky above is cloudy and grey. In the foreground, the beach is dark and rocky, with the figures of the mussel-gatherers standing out against the dull backdrop. The overall mood of the painting is one of quiet industry, with the figures focused on their task. The use of chiaroscuro in this painting adds depth and contrast to the scene, drawing the viewer's eye to the figures and their activity.
Charles-François Daubigny ( DOH-bin-yee, US: DOH-been-YEE, doh-BEEN-yee, French: ; 15 February 1817 – 19 February 1878) was a French painter, one of the members of the Barbizon school, and is considered an important precursor of impressionism.
See the richer artist page
