Same Sea, Different Light: Monet's Rough Sea at Étretat

True to its title, this Monet painting captures the sea in a particularly turbulent mood. Monet was fascinated by how the same location could look entirely different from moment to moment, depending on the shifting light, and he frequently painted series of works exploring the same subject repeatedly. He left behind several paintings of Étretat, and this particular one, painted under overcast skies with little available light, carries an overall darker, moodier tone as a result.

Étretat inspired many painters beyond Monet, and it's worth comparing this work to Courbet's own painting of the same cliffs, seen earlier. True to his Realist roots, Courbet poured his effort into precise, faithful depiction, while Monet focused instead on capturing the fleeting quality of light and atmosphere in that single moment.