- Title: Sunrise
- Artist: Claude Monet
- The year: 1872
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Movement: Impressionism
- Dimensions: 48 cm Ă— 63 cm (18.9 in Ă— 24.8 in)
- Location: Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris
What appeals to me about the art “Sunrise” is how it captures the serene atmosphere of a foggy seascape. Towards the bottom of the picture, a small rowboat with two dark individuals floats in the bay. The sun rises over a misty harbor with ships and other boats in the foreground. On the water’s surface, one can see the sun’s reflection, the boats and people’s shadows, and the shadows’ reflection (Robinson, 2022). The artwork incorporates mostly cool, dreary colors, such as blues and grays, with occasional warm colors introduced by the reddish-orange sun and the cloudless sky. Using such a strikingly vivid hue successfully attracts the viewer’s eye to the painting’s focal point, the sun (Robinson, 2022). The four-masted clipper ship approaches the harbor to the left of the canvas’s center, where the smoke from passing steamboats fills the air. In this case, one establishes cranes and large equipment on the painting’s right side.
The early morning sun combines with the emissions from factories, ships, and machinery to produce an “unexpected and enticing beauty.” Chimneys from distant factories and the masts of other ships break the horizon as one looks into the distance. The dawn provides an opening to show how the temperature drop affects the sun’s warmth. There is more going on here than meets the eye; for example, the artist was deeply invested in restoring French national pride and depicted this fervor in several of his works during the time. Particularly, Sunrise emphasizes France’s resolve to recover from the war’s destruction. As of right now, these expenses are thought to be between $250 and $350 (Robinson, 2022). It accurately depicts the world around us, including the dynamic nature of light and color.
Reference
Robinson, K. (2022). –Claude Monet.19th Century European Art History. Web.