The Banks of the Rance, Brittany
The Met
Artist: Pierre Henri de Valenciennes(French, Toulouse 1750–1819 Paris)
Date: possibly 1785
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on paper, laid down on canvas
Dimensions: 8 3/8 x 19 3/8 in. (21.3 x 49.2 cm)
Credit Line: The Whitney Collection, Gift of Wheelock Whitney III, and Purchase, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. McVeigh, by exchange, 2003
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A tree-covered coastline curves into a calm, light blue sea under a pale sky
Detailed Description
A horizontal landscape painting depicts a coastal scene under a pale, light blue-grey sky, which occupies the upper half of the canvas and shows no distinct clouds. Below the sky, a verdant coastline stretches from the left foreground towards the distant right. On the far left, a dense cluster of dark green trees covers a steep, dark brown and green cliff face that meets the water. Exposed dark rocks are visible along the shoreline in the immediate left foreground, partially submerged in the calm sea. As the coastline extends towards the right, the cliffs become less densely forested, revealing more of their earthy brown and grey tones. The land gently curves inward, creating a bay-like expanse of water. Further to the right, the land recedes into the distance, appearing as smaller, lighter-toned hills and islands. A faint, small white structure is visible on one of the distant landmasses on the far right. The sea, a light blue-green, fills the lower half of the painting, appearing calm with minimal surface texture or waves.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
