Impressionists on the Water

Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926). Boats Moored at Le Petit-Gennevilliers (Barques au Repos, au Petit-Gennevilliers), traditionally Sailboats on the Seine, 1874, oil on canvas, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Photograph copyright FAMSF. 

Coinciding with the America's Cup races this summer on San Francisco Bay, Impressionists on the Water at the Legion of Honor offers another perspective on sailing and boating. This survey of marine motifs in late 19th century French art explores the Impressionists' plein-air painting, which allowed artists to capture the immediacy of a variety of nautical subjects. The exhibit includes paintings complemented by works on paper by Monet, Renoir, Manet, Pissarro, and Sisley, among others--many of whom were sailors and yachtsmen.

Monet (above image) consistently depicted the leisure activities and landscape of Paris and its environs, the banks of the Seine and the Normandy coast. His subjects were often secondary to effects of light, weather and color patterns. Generalizing and simplifying forms resulted in a transient glimpse of a particular place or season, here, sailing boats moored on the island of Petit-Gennevilliers, a riverside village northwest of Paris that provided Monet with ample subjects for his studies of  natural light and atmospheric effects. He often brought his canvases outdoors and then completed them in his studio. 

Édouard Manet (French, 1832-1883). The Sea (La Mer) from the book Le Fleuve by Charles Cros (Paris: Librairie del'Eau-Forte), 1874, etching. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. 

While 19th century artists tended to concentrate on their specific art form, there were increasing instances of collaboration between writers and painters during the third quarter of the century. Charles Cros's poem Le Fleuve with etchings by Manet is regarded as one of the first modern illustrated books. Although painting-directed, Manet frequently executed sketches and drawings for poetry. As an illustrator, his graphic works are spontaneous and abbreviated; he often improvised on literary themes without being governed by specific passages. This graphic style is seen in his series of etchings for Le Fleuve depicting river and sea. Manet created little landscape vignettes that evoke the terrain described in the text. 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919). Oarsmen at Chatou (Les Canotier à Chatou), 1879, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. 

Impressionist painters sought out scenes that captured sun and water; they found such places along the Seine. Renoir chose Chatou, a northwestern suburb of Paris. In a group of paintings depicting rowing at Chatou, his palette shifts toward brightened, airy colors that embrace outdoor relaxation and suit the light conditions--saturated oranges and orange-reds contrasting and placed against feathery blues and greens. Boating is portrayed as an ideal expression of modern life. 

"The idea behind Impressionists on the Water really arose out of our recognition that there would be thousands of visitors in San Francisco during the summer of 2013 here to watch the America's Cup's sailing races," says curator Melissa Buron. "We wanted to provide an exhibition that would not only appeal to art enthusiasts but also to boat lovers and people who were sailors themselves." On view through October 13 at the Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street. 

The America's Cup races:

The first race day of the Louis Vuitton Cup, America's Cup Challenger Series is July 7 on the Bay; three challengers compete for the opportunity to race the defender, Oracle Team USA, in the subsequent America's Cup Finals. The challenger must win the Louis Vuitton Cup to race the defender. 

A new yacht design has been created for the 34th America's Cup, the AC72. The catamaran is 72 feet in length, powered by a 131-foot wing sail and has hydrofoils that lift the hulls clear of the water. The combination of aero and hydro efficiency could see the AC72 near 50 knots (57 mph) boat speed on the racecourse. Each team designs and builds its own yacht according to the "box rule" that places restrictions on key design parameters, such as length, beam and sail area. The limits are an attempt to make the boats as similar as possible to place emphasis on sailing ability over design ingenuity. 

Luna Rossa AC72, San Francisco. Copyright LUNA ROSSA/Carlo Borlenghi. 

Four of the best race crews in the world are competing in the 2013 America's Cup, with crew rosters including previous Cup winners, Olympic medalists and around the world record holders. Luna Rossa Challenge (Palermo, Italy) is a veteran of the America's Cup with three campaigns behind them. 

Luna Rossa AC72, first sailing day in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. Copyright LUNA ROSSA/Carlo Borlenghi. 

Emirates Team New Zealand testing the AC72 in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. Photograph by Chris Cameron.

Emirates Team New Zealand (Auckland, New Zealand) has been a dominant force in the America's Cup for the past 20 years. Winning in 1995 and defending successfully in 2000, the team will be a strong contender this summer. 

Emirates Team New Zealand, AC72 testing in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. Photograph by Chris Cameron.

Onboard the AC72, Artemis Racing, San Francisco, copyright Sander van der Borch. 

Artemis Racing (Stockholm, Sweden) is an experienced international crew led by British Olympic champion Iain Percy. 

ORACLE TEAM USA AC72, San Francisco. All rights reserved. Copyright ACEA/Photo GILLES MARTIN-RAGET. 

In 2010, Oracle Team USA (San Francisco) won the 33rd America's Cup and is the present defender. 

AC72 Sail 4, foiling, ORACLE TEAM USA, San Francisco. Photograph by Guilain Grenier. 

More information and schedules.