Alexandre Thiollet

Fish Auction at the Beach of Villerville

1843-1894

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Alexandre Thiollet

Fish Auction at the Beach of Villerville

1843-1894

Physical Qualities Oil on wood panel, 9-13/16 x 13-15/16 in. (24.9 x 35.4 cm.); Frame: 20-1/4 x 24-1/4 x 3 in. (51.5 x 61.6 x 7.6 cm.)

Credit Line The George A. Lucas Collection, purchased with funds from the State of Maryland, Laurence and Stella Bendann Fund, and contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations throughout the Baltimore community

Object Number 1996.45.257

The mast of a prominent fishing boat tilts to the left as the boat lies beached on the sand at low tide. A colorful crowd of fish buyers, carrying baskets and bags and wearing white kerchiefs, streams towards the unloading fishing craft, presumably to bid on fish that are to be auctioned off. Like many of Alexandre Thiollet’s paintings and drawings, this work depicts the small fishing village of Villerville , located on the Normandy coast in northwestern France. Though a life-long Parisian, Thiollet appears to have traveled outside the city for creative inspiration. He visited Villerville repeatedly from the 1870s to the early 1890s—possibly attracted by the low-lying tidal landscape and immense skies.

The Baltimore Museum of Art by purchase, 1996; The Maryland Institute College of Art,
through Henry Walters, Baltimore, by bequest 1909; from George A. Lucas, Paris

The Maryland Institute, Baltimore, "Exhibition of the George A. Lucas Art Collection", 1911, cat. #258.

The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, "From Ingres to Gauguin (Prints from the Museum Collection)", November-December 30, 1951.

The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, "The George A. Lucas Collection of the Maryland Institute", October 12-November 21, 1965, cat. #262.

The Maryland Institute, Baltimore, March 18, 1970.

Smith College Museum of Art, Northhampton, MA, "Jongkind and the Pre-Impressionists", October 14-December 5, 1976; circulated to Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, December 17, 1976-February 13, 1977.

The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, "A Baltimorean in Paris: George A. Lucas, Art Agent 1860-1909", January 28-March 11, 1979.

The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, "Parallels and Precedents, The George A. Lucas Collection in Context", August 23-October 15, 1995.

Walters Art Museum, "The Road to Impressionism: Landscapes from Corot to Monet", October 3, 2004-January 18, 2005.

Inscribed: FACE: BL, (brown paint), 'Thiollet'. VERSO, PAINTING: UL corner, (label, black ink), 'Loan/108.1951'; C, (printed label), 'PREPARED PANEL/WINSOR & NEWTON/ARTISTS' COLOURMEN/To Her Majesty/HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT./38 RATHBONE PLACE, LONDON.'; Lower C, (handwritten, black ink on paper), 'A. THIOLLET Eleve de Drollings & Robert Fleury/medaille de 3...classe Salon de 1855/2nd medaille 1887/sa est normande/Sa...retire/Medaille d'Argent a l'exposition Universalle 1889/Ne la Paris - Decéde a Paris 26 Avril 1896/vent du parsons sa la plaze de Villerville/Normandie. VERSO, FRAME: TE, (in pencil), 'Mr. Lucas 'Lien...'; UR corner, (printed label), 'Baltimore Museum of Art/Wyman Park/...'; attached to previous label (label, blue ink), '4B'; LR corner, (black paint), '258-2'; CL, (printed label), 'Succession G.A. Lucas...No. 166;' UL corner (pencil), KLI-3'