Artwork
The Island of Raguenez, Brittany
The Island of Raguenez, Brittany is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Henri Moret. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: Moret; falsely lower left: P. Go
About this work
Technique & Style
8 cm in width, reflecting Moret's characteristic loose brushwork and vibrant color palette that capture the Breton landscape with impressionistic sensitivity.
Henri Moret painted The Island of Raguenez, Brittany in 1892 using oil on canvas. The work measures 54 cm in height and 64.8 cm in width, reflecting Moret's characteristic loose brushwork and vibrant color palette that capture the Breton landscape with impressionistic sensitivity. Its surface remains well-preserved, showing no significant cracking or pigment loss, and the canvas support is taut and stable.
The painting's composition features a dynamic interplay of light and shadow across the island's terrain, emphasizing formal qualities of rhythm and spatial depth.
The artwork's handling appears consistent with standard oil painting practices of the late 19th century, with no documented conservation interventions recorded in the provenance. Its stylistic approach aligns with Post-Impressionist tendencies, particularly in the expressive application of paint and modulation of tonal values.
History & Provenance
Henri Moret created the oil painting The Island of Raguenez, Brittany in 1892. The work's documented ownership begins with the Parisian dealer Ambroise Vollard, who held the piece by 1905. It subsequently entered the collection of Madame de Galéa, who was identified in curatorial correspondence as Vollard's long-time mistress and the mother of his heir.
The painting was later handled by Sam Salz, Inc. in New York before being sold on June 9, 1954, to Ailsa Mellon Bruce of New York. Bruce lent the work to Mr. Lauder Greenway starting in 1956 for exhibition purposes. Upon her death, the painting was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1970.
The painting entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1970 as a bequest from Ailsa Mellon Bruce. Prior to this acquisition, the work was owned by Ambroise Vollard in Paris by 1905, later passing to Madame de Galéa, and subsequently to Sam Salz, Inc. in New York, which sold it to Bruce on June 9, 1954. Between 1956 and her death, Bruce lent the canvas to Lauder Greenway for an extended period. During 1956, Greenway facilitated the artwork's inclusion in at least two exhibitions.
Overview
Henri Moret’s oil on canvas, titled The Island of Raguenez, Brittany, was completed in 1892. The work depicts a coastal scene on a rugged shoreline, where a modest stone cottage sits beyond a winding path that climbs a grassy, rock‑strewn hill. A cloudy sky and choppy sea dominate the background, while muted greens, browns, and grays give the composition a restrained tonal range.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a quiet, isolated landscape, emphasizing the relationship between land and sea along the Breton coast. The solitary house, set against the expansive horizon, suggests a sense of solitude and calm amidst the restless water, inviting contemplation of the natural environment’s enduring presence.
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