Artwork
A Storm off the Normandy Coast
A Storm off the Normandy Coast is an unspecified painting by Eugène Isabey. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the tradition of marine art, a genre devoted to depicting the sea, vessels, and atmospheric conditions over water.
A Storm off the Normandy Coast is a marine painting by Eugène Isabey, executed in 1855. The work belongs to the tradition of marine art, a genre devoted to depicting the sea, vessels, and atmospheric conditions over water. The painting depicts a wind wave and a storm, situating it within the Romantic-era fascination with turbulent seascapes and the dramatic interplay of weather and water.
By focusing on the Normandy coast, a region long associated with seafaring, fishing, and exposure to Atlantic weather, Isabey aligns the scene with a specifically French maritime identity. The combination of wave and storm as subject matter emphasises the power of nature at sea, a recurring theme in nineteenth-century marine painting that conveyed both the peril and the sublime of coastal life.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a medium well suited to Isabey's fluid, expressive handling. The palette conveys the turbulence of the storm through the depiction of churning sea and dramatic sky. The composition is broadly consistent with the Romantic marine tradition, prioritising emotional impact through atmospheric effects. The work measures 33 cm in height and 50.8 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Eugène Isabey painted A Storm off the Normandy Coast in 1855. The work depicts a marine scene of wind waves during a storm and measures 33 cm in height and 50.8 cm in width. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources, and no exhibition history is recorded.
Overview
Created by the French artist Eugène Isabey in 1855, A Storm off the Normandy Coast captures a powerful maritime scene. This painting exemplifies the Romantic movement's interest in nature's raw power, depicting a tumultuous sea under a dramatic sky. The work is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Eugène Louis Gabriel Isabey (French pronunciation:; 22 July 1803 – 25 April 1886) was a French painter, lithographer and watercolorist in the Romantic style.
