The Beach of Les Grands Sables at Le Pouldu
1890
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1890
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
You see a wild beach: golden dunes, twisted trees, and a tiny person walking near the water. The colors are bold and flat, like a patchwork quilt. Sérusier painted this in Brittany, where the wind shapes the land. He wanted to show how small humans feel next to nature, not just what the place looked like. The thick paint and bright blocks of color make the scene feel alive, not like a photo. If you like how he used color, look up *impasto*—a technique where paint is laid on thick, so it stands out from the canvas.
