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French painter Monet was clearly fascinated by both boats and the sea’s ever-changing mood and light

I’ve never been a great fan of the French painter Monet - I’ve often thought his work to be somehow a little unsatisfactory and even chocolate-boxy. But these images sent by my friend Ed have pretty well changed my mind. It’s difficult not to like the work of a painter so obviously fascinated by both sailing and rowing boats, but also by the moods of the sea and the light that plays upon it. Click on the images and decide for yourself…

Thanks Ed, for so painlessly changing my point of view!

Amazon offers books of Monet prints, but the one I’d recommend is the one published in conjunction with a Tate Gallery exhibition of paintings by Turner, Whistler and Monet. I went to the show, and at the time I was particularly bowled over by both the Whistler and Monet paintings of the River Thames and its ships, boats, lighters and barges of the time. And, of course, the famous Turners are even more mind-blowing in real life…

For more on boat- and ship-related culture, songs, stories, photography and art, click here: http://intheboatshed.net/category/culture-songs-stories-art/

Racing sailing yacht Caress rigged as a yawl pictured in The Yachtsman

Caress photographed in a supplement to The Yachtsman No 527, dated May 1901. Photo by Debenham, Cowes. Note the private steam yachts in background; the rigged ship is a steam yacht also.

Racing yachts Ma’oona and Charmian pictured in The Yachtsman

Ma’oona was owned by Mr Almeric Paget, and the photo taken by Kirk & Son of Cowes appeared in a supplement to The Yachtsman published on October 8th, 1908. The photo of Charmian comes from another supplement dated January 1897, and was taken by Messrs Adamson of Rothesay, NB. Jeff points out that there may be a hulk moored in the background.

Mrs Lily Langtree steering her steam yacht’s long boat off Hyeres; Mrs Langtrees yacht White Lady, again off Hyeres
These last two photos are from The Sketch, July 10, 1895. Lily Langtry was an extraordinary character who had many wealthy lovers including Queen Victoria’s son Albert Edward (known as Bertie), who was the then Prince of Wales and later became King Edward VII. Her story is told by the online Lily Langtry Museum and by a Wikipedia page.

My thanks go to Jeff Cole for supplying the photos. For more photos from this source, click here:
http://intheboatshed.net/2007/08/23/grand-old-yacht-photos/
For more on boat- and ship-related culture, songs, stories, photography and art, click here: http://intheboatshed.net/category/culture-songs-stories-art/

This sweet 10ft clinker-built double-ended skiff looks extremely difficult to build, at least to me - but it’s wonderfully pretty nevertheless

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