Details

Object type

painting

Title

Brussels, the Old Fish Market

Artist/Maker

Eugène Boudin artist

Culture/School

French

Place Associated

Belgium, Brussels (place depicted)

Date

1871

Materials

oil on panel

Dimensions

framed: 376 mm x 583 mm x 82 mm; unframed: 257 mm x 463 mm

Description

Boudin was fascinated by the subject of the market, and of fishmarkets in particular. Of 37 signed paintings of markets by the artist, 21 show fishmarkets. In these scenes, whether painted in Brittany, Brussels or Rotterdam, Boudin enjoyed the challenge of depicting a crowd - simultaneously catching it in all its diversity and yet preserving the individuality of certain figures.

The further challenge was one of avoiding anecdote and yet capturing characteristic movements, gestures, attitudes and costumes. In his notebooks he records the preparations he knew he should first undertake: ‘Fishmarkets. Ponder that in different ways, whether having figures predominate or focusing all the attention on the fish. This must be prepared on the spot to have exactly the right people and props.’

Credit Line/Donor

Gifted by Sir William and Lady Burrell to the City of Glasgow, 1944

Collection

Burrell Collection: Pictures [Oils, Pastels and Watercolours]

ID Number

35.44

Location

Burrell Collection

Related People

Charles-Wilfrid de Beriot

Galerie Raphaël Gérard

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