View of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme by Degas

Magnifying the silent and timeless beauty of the Picardy coast, this rare work by Degas Edgar, associated with the Realist movement, stands under the title of “View of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme” among his landscapes. The artist explores a less-known genre in his repertoire, revealing his interest in rural architecture and the structure of natural spaces. This composition illustrates his academic training, artistic independence and unique sensitivity to the melancholy of places.

The peaceful landscape unfolds beautifully from a high vantage point, revealing the warm red and ochre tiled roofs of a small, picturesque country village. In the foreground, a wide and solid beige stone wall crosses the composition obliquely from the left side towards the right side. In the center, large green vegetable gardens and soft green trees beautifully animate the middle ground. On the left, tall and imposing dark buildings with high brick chimneys stand out, while in the background on the center-right, the high grey stone tower of the historic church dominates the horizon under a dark grey and cloudy sky.

This work demonstrates the painter’s undeniable craftsmanship in the use of oil painting. The artist uses a broad and textured touch to model the geometric volumes of the buildings and capture the misty, humid atmosphere of the region with exceptional evocative power and realism.