Jacques-Émile Blanche, Fish Wholesaler

by Atelier Liesjes

Fish is being traded in large batches on an open quay by the harbour. On the left stands a low cart on a large, dark wooden wheel, laden with crates and tubs; two men are bending over the goods. In the centre, a pale yellow van with a white canvas roof is waiting; to the right of it, a covered cart with a cream-coloured canopy. Buyers and porters throng amongst the vehicles: men in caps and long dark coats, a woman in a red skirt, a man in a pink jacket holding a dark bag. In the distance, the masts of the ships stand out, along with a tall pole and a row of low houses with pink roofs; above them, a vast, pearl-grey blanket of clouds. The quay itself is made of compacted earth, yellowish-grey in colour, with the occasional dark puddle. Blanche keeps the composition vague and lets the bustle determine the form. The paint is sparse and applied quickly, with strokes that are simultaneously a back, a cap and a shadow. The palette is earthy and subdued: ochre, khaki, grey-green and umber, with sparse accents of vermilion and pink. In this way, an everyday commercial transaction becomes a dynamic, almost journalistic scene, akin to Impressionism and the realistic harbour views of the nineteenth century. Almost all the figures are depicted with their backs to the viewer, which reinforces the impression of a fleeting scene. Jacques-Émile Blanche (Paris 1861 – Offranville 1942) enjoyed working in the seaside resorts and harbours of Normandy, where working life unfolded alongside high society. As well as portraits, he produced such quick studies of quays and markets; the harbour of Dieppe, where fish and fruit were unloaded, was a recurring motif in his work. A robust, documentary-style work for lovers of harbour scenes.