“Of this past, which nowhere is as picturesque as in France, Boggs, with tender devotion, made himself the historian through images.”
Born in Ohio, on the other side of the Atlantic, Frank Myers Boggs chose to come to France at the age of 21. Captivated by the modernity of the Impressionists, he drew his inspiration from Paris, where he entered the École des Beaux-Arts upon his arrival, joining the studio of Jean-Léon Gérôme. Following his master’s wise advice, Boggs soon left the atelier to paint en plein air. The evolution of materials and modes of transportation allowed a generation of artists, beginning in the 1830s, to leave their studios. From the mid-century onwards, artists increasingly turned toward the Norman coast. Boggs followed the movement; in Dieppe in 1877, he discovered the atmosphere and shifting light of those landscapes that would nourish his palette. Contrary to many of his contemporaries, he showed little interest in the fashionable social scene, devoting himself instead to port views, marine scenes and animated compositions, which formed his early successes.
After two years spent in the United States, Boggs returned to settle in Paris in 1880. Eager to give his career every possible chance, he exhibited in several artistic capitals, notably in Paris and London, while regularly sending his canvases to the Pennsylvania Academy. The year 1882 marked a decisive turning point: the French State acquired La Place de la Bastille (Musée franco-américain du château de Blérancourt, inv. FNAC 274). In 1886, his painting Barque de pêche, à Trouville was likewise purchased by the Musée de Nantes (inv. 821).
During his numerous stays in Europe, Boggs absorbed the work of his contemporaries, among whom the Dutch painter Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819–1891) proved particularly influential. From Jongkind he borrowed the importance of drawing; from Guillemet, a strong taste for tonal harmonies; from Manet, the treatment of volumes in flat areas. A painter of impression and atmosphere, he developed his own manner in a light, radiant touch that synthesized all the influences he had absorbed. From the 1890s until the turn of the century, he worked tirelessly, fascinated by the banks of the Seine, which he depicted repeatedly. Our painting should be dated to this decade.
Painting from life allowed him to heighten the senses, light, and colour in their most essential form. The composition of this work reveals a careful study of the surroundings of the Institut de France. Boggs depicts the banks of the Seine from the Quai des Tuileries or the Quai de Conti, with the Pont des Arts occupying a central position (ill. 1 & 2). Built in cast iron at the beginning of the 19th century, the Pont des Arts symbolized the technological advances of the Industrial Revolution, which fascinated Romantic artists and later the Impressionists, who were sensitive to urban modernity.
The canvas becomes a powerful space for contemplation. These views of the Seine are imbued with a desire to convey truth, without artifice. His deep sensitivity to light, combined with a constant concern for clarity, reflects both the influence of the masters he admired and his personal commitment to rendering urban perspectives exactly as he perceived them. He particularly favoured grey-blue and ochre tones, inherited from Jongkind and Boudin, which allowed him to capture transparency, water reflections, and the fluidity of air. On the one hand, he fragmented the brushstroke into light, broken patches to convey atmospheric vibration; on the other, he applied very thin layers of paint, almost like glazes, suggesting volume while allowing the ground of the canvas to participate in the effect.
Although the Boston Museum of Fine Arts owns a Houle à Honfleur awarded in New York in 1885, Boggs enjoyed greater success in France than in the United States. From 1903, his talent was acknowledged by critics, and he received the support of the art dealer Hector Brame; in March of that same year, his works were shown at Paul Durand-Ruel’s gallery. A free-spirited artist, he remained inspired by his master Gérôme, from whom he nevertheless quickly distanced himself by exploring the space between Realism and Impressionism.
M.O
