Artwork
The Boat Trip: Night Voyage or Net Fishing (second version)
The Boat Trip: Night Voyage or Net Fishing (second version) is a work on paper by the Impressionist artist Charles François Daubigny. It dates from 1861 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
He used light in a new way—just one small source—to show the scene without bright daylight.
This painting shows a small boat on dark water at night. A single lantern glows on the boat, lighting the nets being pulled up. The water is almost black except where the lantern catches the nets and the man’s hands.
Daubigny often painted rivers at night. He used light in a new way—just one small source—to show the scene without bright daylight.
If you like this, check out Charles François Daubigny (French, 1817–1878).
Overview
The work, titled *The Boat Trip: Night Voyage or Net Fishing (second version)*, is a portfolio piece marked in the lower left corner with the inscription “L. D. 109.” It portrays a solitary vessel on a night‑time river, its only illumination coming from a lantern that highlights the fisherman’s hands and the nets being drawn from the water.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a quiet moment of nocturnal fishing, emphasizing the contrast between the deep, almost black water and the warm glow of the lantern. The focus on the nets and the fisherman’s activity suggests a meditation on labor and the interplay of light and darkness in a natural setting.
Technique & Style
Daubigny employs a restrained palette, using graphite for the signature and oil paint for the scene. The artist’s handling of light is notable: a single, modest light source creates a dramatic chiaroscuro effect, illuminating only the immediate area around the boat while the surrounding river remains enveloped in night.
History & Provenance
The piece is part of a series in which Daubigny explored riverine subjects after dark. The inscription “L. D. 109” likely refers to the artist’s catalogue or inventory number, indicating its place within his broader body of work.
Context
Nighttime river scenes were a recurring theme in Daubigny’s oeuvre, reflecting his interest in atmospheric effects and the quietude of rural life. This work continues that exploration, distinguishing itself through the minimalist use of a single lantern rather than the broader daylight illumination common in his earlier river paintings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles-François Daubigny ( DOH-bin-yee, US: DOH-been-YEE, doh-BEEN-yee, French: ; 15 February 1817 – 19 February 1878) was a French painter, one of the members of the Barbizon school, and is considered an important precursor of…
