The Port of Loguivy at Low Tide

Henri Rivière owned a summer home in Loguivy, a fishing village in Brittany, on France’s northwest coast. For many artists, Brittany provided a haven from the influences of the industrial economy of big cities like Paris. Here they could experience traditional ways of life tied to the forces and bounty of nature. In this scene, Rivière depicted Loguivy women gathering mussels at low tide. The area was known for the substantial ebb and flow of its tides; the orange rock near the stranded boats at left indicates how high the water can reach when the tide comes in.