North Carolina Museum of Art

The monumentality of the famous cliffs at the coastal resort of Etretat in Normandy is not typical of most of Monet's other subjects. He usually chose a quiet corner of a meadow or stretch of river for his landscapes. The Etretat painting does, however, serve as a typical example of the Impressionist style. There is an emphasis on atmospheric conditions and the effects of light as the day progresses. Colors are vibrant and applied to the canvas in separated brushstrokes that create the illusion of motion in the water. Close examination of the setting sun reveals Monet's technique of applying one color of paint over another while still wet, achieving a partial mixture of colors but not a blending.

Monet's letters to his future wife, Alice, from this time record his awe of the cliffs and his "seduction" by them. His desire to do justice to the subject intensified his typical obsession with achieving ambitious goals. His letters describe his struggle against the February weather, the changing tides, and the difficult terrain. While, in true Impressionist manner, he worked from an easel set up on the shore, he was making studies to use in the studio to produce finished paintings. His hope of having a few finished canvases at the conclusion of his three-week sojourn was not realized, but by the end of that year he had painted at least eighteen views of Etretat.