Alfred Stevens, 'Storm at Honfleur', probably 1890-1
About the work
Overview
Alfred Stevens found success with his paintings of elegant young women in imaginary situations, posed against highly decorative backgrounds. In 1880 he became ill with a lung condition and was advised to make regular trips to Normandy for his health, where he made a series of small paintings of the sea.
Once in Normandy he discovered and was influenced by Corot’s vibrant, flickering brushwork. In spite of damage to this painting it is still possible to catch a little of Stevens’s new, spontaneous approach, particularly on the darkened sand of the beach. In an angry light, men tending horses and carts stand at the water’s edge, while small craft out at sea are threatened by the huge, lowering thundercloud that sweeps forward towards them.
His jagged brushwork here is quite different from the smooth finish of his pictures of women, one of which, The Present, is also in the National Gallery’s collection.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- Storm at Honfleur
- Artist
- Alfred Stevens
- Artist dates
- 1823 - 1906
- Date made
- probably 1890-1
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 66 × 81 cm
- Inscription summary
- Signed
- Acquisition credit
- Bought by the Tate Gallery, 1924; transferred, 1956
- Inventory number
- NG3966
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Gregory Martin, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School: circa 1600–circa 1900’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
-
2009Alfred StevensRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium8 May 2009 - 23 August 2009Van Gogh Museum18 September 2009 - 24 January 2010
Bibliography
-
1936G. van Zype, Les frères Stevens, Brussels 1936
-
1970G. Martin, The Flemish School, circa 1600-circa 1900, London 1970
-
1986Martin, Gregory, National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School, circa 1600 - circa 1900, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
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