James Tissot, Embarkation at Calais, 1885

by Atelier Liesjes

A young woman descends onto the quay via a wooden gangway with green-painted handrails. She is wearing a close-fitting jacket of tan-coloured cloth, beneath which she wears a red bodice, long gloves and a dark hat with a sheer veil covering her face. In one hand she holds a rolled-up blanket with red, black and yellow chequered patterns; in the other, an umbrella with a curved handle. Men are crowding around her: a captain wearing a cap with a gold band looks up at her; an old man with a white moustache and white tie stands at the front; sailors are hauling on ropes. Behind her, thick bundles of rope lie on a white cabin deck; above the railing, porters wait with suitcases and a soldier wearing a helmet and plume. At the foot of the gangway, the dark hull of a boat is visible, with a rope leading to the quay. Tissot paints with almost photographic precision: every fabric, every knot and every fold is rendered in detail, and the light falls coolly and evenly across the scene. The colours are earthy and refined: olive green, ochre, terracotta red, navy blue, cream and black. The composition is theatrical: the woman descends the stairs as if on a stage, whilst the men watch on like an audience. The clothing is painted with as much care as the faces. Thus, an everyday embarkation becomes a society scene, in which class distinctions and fashion are just as important as the journey itself. James Tissot (Nantes 1836 – Doubs 1902) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, lived in London for many years and painted the elegant life of the affluent English middle classes there. He later returned to France and devoted himself to religious series, including the life of Christ. His work is on display in museums in Paris, London and New York. A refined, narrative piece for a classic interior with a French touch.