Artwork
The Harbor of St. Malo at Low Tide
The Harbor of St. Malo at Low Tide is a gouache drawing by the Impressionist artist Alfred Herbert. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The Harbor of St. Malo at Low Tide is a watercolor painting.
It was made around 1850.
The artist used a mix of watercolor and gouache, which is a type of paint that's opaque and often used to add details.
This mix of techniques is interesting because it shows the artist's skill in combining different materials.
Check out the work of Herbert, Alfred.
Overview
Alfred Herbert’s drawing of the harbor at St. Malo captures the scene at low tide. Executed on wove paper around 1850, the work combines watercolor washes with opaque gouache highlights, all laid over an initial graphite sketch.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents the quiet, exposed harbor of the French port, emphasizing the stillness of the receded water and the silhouettes of fishing vessels awaiting the tide. The muted palette underscores the atmospheric calm of the moment.
Technique & Style
Herbert employs a layered approach: a graphite underdrawing establishes form, watercolor provides transparent washes for sky and water, while gouache adds solid, opaque accents that define rigging and hull details. This interplay of media demonstrates his facility with both delicate and assertive marks.
History & Provenance
Born to a Thames waterman, Herbert left a boat‑building apprenticeship to become a painter. Between 1844 and 1860 he showed coastal subjects at the Society of British Artists and the Royal Academy, establishing his reputation for maritime scenes.
Context
The work reflects mid‑nineteenth‑century British interest in continental ports and the broader Romantic fascination with the sea. St. Malo’s tidal landscape offered a compelling study of light, water, and the working life of fishermen, themes recurrent in Herbert’s oeuvre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfred Herbert (1818-1861), was an English watercolour painter. Herbert was born in Christchurch area of Southwark the son of a Thames waterman, who apprenticed him to a boatbuilder, but, yielding to a strong natural…
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