Artwork
View from the Quai d'Orsay
View from the Quai d'Orsay is an oil painting by Johan Jongkind. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
In 1854, Dutch painter Johan Barthold Jongkind set up his easel on the left bank of the Seine to record the Quai d’Orsay’s industrial barges and cranes, with the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens visible across the water. The resulting oil on canvas, measuring roughly 44 by 66 cm, entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2001 as a bequest from Meta Cecile Schwarz.
Subject & Meaning
By rendering the Seine as a place of labor rather than leisure, Jongkind captures the everyday life and industrial transformation of mid-19th-century Paris.
The painting depicts the Quai d'Orsay on the left bank of the River Seine in Paris, showing the river as a site of bustling industrial activity. The foreground features cranes, barges, rowboats, a horse, and a man, emphasizing work and commerce. In the distance, recognizable Parisian landmarks, including the Louvre Palace, Palais de la Légion d'Honneur, Notre-Dame de Paris, and the Tuileries Garden, rise under a slightly cloudy sky.
By rendering the Seine as a place of labor rather than leisure, Jongkind captures the everyday life and industrial transformation of mid-19th-century Paris.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 43.8 by 66 cm. The composition depicts the Seine as a place of industrial activity, prominently featuring cranes, barges, rowboats, and animals in the foreground. Downriver, Parisian structures are visible under a lightly clouded sky. The formal treatment emphasizes the working riverine environment, aligning with the artist's earlier works that foreground the industrial character of the river. No specific handling details or condition notes are provided in the sources.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1854 by the Dutch artist Johan Barthold Jongkind, View from the Quai d'Orsay is an oil-on-canvas work. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. No further details regarding its commission or earlier provenance are documented in the available sources.
Overview
Johan Barthold Jongkind, a Dutch painter, created View from the Quai d'Orsay in 1854. This oil on canvas work captures a specific Parisian vista during the mid-19th century. The painting is housed within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a glimpse into the artist's engagement with urban landscapes and his observational approach to the changing city.
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Artist
Johan Barthold Jongkind (Dutch pronunciation:; 3 June 1819 – 9 February 1891) was a Dutch painter and printmaker. He painted marine landscapes in a free manner and is regarded as a forerunner of impressionism.
