Creation and Location

Monet painted this work during his two-month stay on the island of Belle-Île, off the coast of Brittany, France. He was captivated by the intense Atlantic Ocean and the rugged coastline, which he depicted in various moods and weather conditions.

Composition and Technique

The painting features barren rocks battered by the sea, with Monet using the direction of his brushstrokes to capture the contours of the rocks and the movement of the water. He employed dark blue and purple hues instead of black to describe the shadows and the rocks just under the surface. The horizon is high in the painting, with abstracted rock shapes closely cropped and looming before the viewer, creating a sense of being on a cliff overlooking the sea.

Conservation

The painting was acquired by the Cincinnati Art Museum in 1985 and initially had a glossy synthetic varnish applied, which had turned slightly yellow over time. Conservation efforts removed this varnish, revealing a cooler, bluer, and more misty appearance that aligns with Monet's original intent. This restoration enhanced the painting's impressionistic qualities.

Artistic Significance

The work is characteristic of Monet's Impressionist style, focusing on capturing a fleeting moment in time while also conveying a sense of timelessness through the depiction of the enduring rocks. The painting highlights Monet's attention to light and color, as seen in the relationship between the mauves in the rocks and the color of the light in the sky.

Current Location

'Rocks at Belle-Île, Port-Domois' is part of the permanent collection at the Cincinnati Art Museum, supported by the Fanny Bryce Lehmer Endowment and The Edwin and Virginia Irwin Memorial.