“The Jetty at Le Havre” is an artwork created by Claude Monet in 1868, using oil on canvas as the medium of expression. It belongs to the Impressionist movement, which Monet himself played a crucial role in developing, and can be categorized within the cityscape genre. As of the last known information, the artwork is held within a private collection, not accessible to the general public.
The artwork captures a lively, coastal scene at Le Havre, adeptly embodying the Impressionist movement’s emphasis on the play of light and reflections. This seascape showcases Monet’s fascination with natural lighting and atmospheric conditions, seen through his depiction of dynamic skies and shifting ocean waves. A prominent lighthouse stands sentinel amidst turbulent waters, as frothy waves crash against the jetty. The lighthouse, with its cylindrical form, is enveloped in mist, which makes it appear ethereal. Figures appear on the jetty, lending a human element to the scene, while also underscoring the scale and force of nature as they are dwarfed by the towering lighthouse and the expansive sea. The palette used is characteristically Impressionist, with a harmony of blues, grays, and the white of the breaking waves. The brushwork imparts a sense of movement and spontaneity, embodying the fleeting moment with emotional impression rather than detailed accuracy.
