Étretat: The Beach and the Falaise d'Amont

Claude Monet painted this sun-soaked scene of the cliffs of Amont in Étretat on the northern coast of France in saturated tones of blue, orange, and pink. Étretat was a popular tourist destination, but Monet decided to travel there with his family during the town’s offseason, in the fall and winter of 1885. Instead of bustling with travelers, as it would have been during the summer months, the beach appears desolate aside from a small grouping of local fishing boats gathered at the shore.

This is one of thirty-five works that comprise the Winterbotham Collection. Click here to learn more about the collection.