The Boat Trip: Cabin Boy Hauling the Tow-Rope or Hauling by Rope

Daubigny employs rapid, sketch‑like lines to render the water’s surface, creating a sense of turbulence and motion. The shoreline is rendered in dark, tangled strokes, while the figures are outlined with minimal detail. This loose handling of line reflects a realist intent to depict a momentary, unidealized slice of life rather than a polished, staged tableau.

The print was produced during Daubigny’s mature period, when he was exploring river scenes that would later inform the plein‑air practices of the Impressionists. It entered public collections in the early twentieth century, passing through several European museums before being acquired by its present holder, where it remains part of the Barbizon and early modern French print holdings.