1868
oil
canvas
From the collection of Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Steamboat, Seascape with Porpoises is a 1868 oil by Edouard Manet, a Realism work, held at Philadelphia Museum of Art.
This painting shows a steamboat on the water, with its smoke billowing into the air. The boat is dark, with white sails and a few flags. In the foreground, several porpoises are swimming in the greenish water. The scene is set against a gray sky with a few clouds. The overall mood is one of calmness, with the steamboat and porpoises moving gently through the water. The painting's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and contrast, drawing the viewer's eye to the steamboat and porpoises. To learn more about this technique, explore the concept of chiaroscuro.
Édouard Manet didn’t have much time to make his mark—he died at 51—but he used every year.
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