Impressionists by the Sea is the latest much-anticipated exhibition to grace the walls of Dupont Circle’s Phillips Collection. Composed of selected pieces from The Collection and contributions from the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut, the exhibition depicts the evolution of the northern French shore from wind-swept fishing villages and raw breakers to a Riviera-style parade of luxury.
It really is a phenomenal sampling of outdoor works produced during the 19th century, featuring both the most celebrated and the sometimes forgotten French, American, British and Dutch painters. Monet is almost over-represented, but his seascapes are nicely balanced by Eugène-Louis Boudin, Gustave Courbet, Eugène Isabey, John Singer Sargent and Renoir, to name just a few. It is an exhibition for those interested and decently versed in the Impressionist movement; otherwise, the ticket may not be worth the price of admission.
Impressionists by the Sea is all about rediscovering the masters in a maritime context and understanding the changing face of their inspiration. The pieces, distributed through a series of rooms painted an unassuming shade of blue, are subtly arranged in stages reflecting the evolution of Normandy’s coastline during the 19th century from an undiscovered, savage beauty to a playground for urban vacationers. Impressionists by the Sea uniquely explores the French shore both before and after “Parisians took the train to the sea,”as Eliza Rathbone, chief curator of The Phillips Collection, phrased it. The layout of the exhibition facilitates a gradual transition from brooding, stormy perspectives of the shore to more tranquil sunsets and then vibrant, lighthearted depictions of tourist culture on the beach at Trouville.
Two quiet works by James McNeill Whistler are stand-out pieces alongside three signature works, including Sur la plage: Suzanne et Eugène Manet à Berck (1873), by Edouard Manet. Linger in front of Whistler’s The Sea (c. 1865) and Sea and Rain (1865); their muted loneliness speaks to almost every viewer. The use of Boudin and Courbet is brilliant. Courbet’s La Plage de Trouville: Coucher de soleil (c.1865-69) is a majestic sunset over breakers, and Boudin’s series in the 1860s depicts the early invasion of Trouville by recreational bathers.
If you spend the afternoon searching the walls for a highly-recognizable piece, you won’t find one until the very end. In what is the biggest surprise of the show; Mary Cassatt’s Children at the Seashore (1885) hangs larger than life over your left shoulder in one of the very last rooms of the exhibition.
The only problematic aspect of the exhibition may very well be, in a word, Monet. “Monet” and “Impressionism” are practically synonymous for the average person. But the exhibition could benefit from a little less Monet—it approaches overkill. Monet dominated the Impressionist period, and, alongside Boudin, is one of the best mediums through which to observe the transformation of the coastline, but facing wall after wall of Monet is a bit tedious. Overrepresenting this particular master undermines the integrity of his individual pieces.
In the end, too much Monet fails to diminish the overall success of Impressionists by the Sea. Go and enjoy before final exams roll around—this particular experience deserves serious time. The exhibition runs through January 13th, so you have ample time to save enough change from late-night Vittles and Midnight Mug pilgrimages for the $8 student ticket.
