Coastal scene with fishermen and sailing boats, circa 1770

Animated coastal scene with fishermen and sailing boats, oil on canvas, dimensions 54 cm × 71 cm, with its period gilt frame with Rocaille decoration, 64 cm × 81 cm, circle of Vernet, trace of an illegible signature.

Animated coastal scene with fishermen and sailing boats
Circle of Joseph Vernet (1714–1789)
Oil on canvas, 54 × 71 cm
France, late 18th century, Louis XVI period

Description
In this luminous and well-balanced composition, a coastal scene comes to life beneath a golden end-of-day sky. In the foreground, a group of figures — men, women and a dog — gathers on a rocky promontory. Some are fishing with lines, others converse or contemplate the horizon. A leaning tree elegantly frames the scene, while a sailing boat slowly approaches the shore, evoking the calm of a Mediterranean harbor. To the left, fortified architecture set against a mountainous background suggests a southern, perhaps imaginary, location, typical of maritime scenes of the period.

The work belongs to the tradition of 18th-century French seascapes, popularized by Joseph Vernet, whose influence is evident here through:
the theatrical staging of figures within a natural and harbor setting,
the atmospheric treatment of the sky, with warm and clouded nuances,
the attention given to gestures and costumes, which enliven the scene without overburdening it.

The quality of the brushwork, the palette, and the construction recall productions from Vernet’s workshop or circle, notably Charles-François Lacroix of Marseille or Jean-François Hue, who continued this picturesque vein during the Louis XVI period.
This painting perfectly illustrates the 18th-century taste for idealized maritime scenes, blending naturalistic observation with poetic composition. It bears witness to the attraction of elites to Mediterranean landscapes and popular activities, presented in a harmonious vision of the world.