Blessing of a Yacht on the Belon River1899 · Study 2020.110

Context from the museum

Maurice Denis made this painting during the summer of 1899 while vacationing with his family in the coastal village of Le Pouldu in Brittany in northwestern France. Two-thirds of this canvas is filled by the lavender-pink surface of the water, dotted with touches of color that suggest reflections of flags and sails on the Belon River. Local women wearing traditional headdresses observe the scene from the riverbank in the foreground, shaded by trees whose foliage frames the top of the composition.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Denis was an extremely prolific artist who experimented with other art forms. His decorative murals can be viewed in many French churches as well as on the ceiling of the Champs Élysées Theatre in Paris.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Blessing of a Yacht on the Belon River is 80 cm wide and 75 cm high, equivalent to approximately 31.5 × 29.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.07:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.60 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 26.7% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 110.0 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Blessing of a Yacht on the Belon River in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 80 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?