Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, 1888
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Oil on Canvas, 65 X 81.5 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
(Vincent van Gogh Stichting)
F 413

Arles was not far from the Mediterranean. At the beginning of June 1888 Vincent visited the fishing village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer where, in a matter of days, he produced two seascapes, a view of the village and nine drawings. He wrote to Theo about one of the seascapes: –I made the drawing of the boats when I left very early in the morning, and I am now working on a painting based on it, a size 30 canvas with more sea and sky on the right. It was before the boats hastened out; I had watched them every morning, but as they leave very early I didn?t have time to paint them.”