The Manneporte (Etretat)

A great natural arch of rock rises above the water, framing the churn of waves and a stretch of distant coastline beneath a soft, pale sky. The sea appears restless beneath the stone, while the horizon fades into muted tones that suggest overcast light along the coast. This scene shows the Manneporte, the famous arch along the English Channel, with a beach nearby and clouds drifting above the water, all rendered in the spirit of marine art. The painting was made in 1883 using oil, and it is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Claude Monet (1840–1926), a French painter associated with Impressionism, also created Impression, Sunrise. Notice how the arch's rough texture contrasts with the smooth, pale wash of the sky above it.