Bercy
1868
Jongkind captures a breezy spring day along the Seine in this loose, atmospheric sketch, where the sky dominates the composition with sweeping washes of blue and white. In the foreground, a horse-drawn cart trundles along the riverbank, while a bridge and the buildings of Bercy sit quietly in the distance. The artist even signed and dated it right on the paper—'Bercy, 16 mars 1868'—giving us a perfect snapshot of a specific afternoon. As a major precursor to Impressionism, Jongkind's focus on light and spontaneous brushstrokes here clearly paved the way for Monet and his friends.
- Technique
- Watercolor
- Material
- Paper
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