Low Tide at Sauzon

Low Tide at Sauzon, painted by Maufra around 1900, depicts the harbor at Sauzon on the island of Belle-Île — one of the Breton islands that had attracted painters since Monet's famous campaign there in 1886. Low tide revealed the harbor's floor, transforming the familiar marine scene into a landscape of wet rock, moored boats on their sides, and the particular quality of reflected light on exposed mud and sand. Maufra was drawn to Belle-Île as part of his sustained engagement with the Breton marine environment, and Sauzon's picturesque harbor offered both intimate scale and characteristic Breton character.

Maufra captures the specific visual effect of low tide — the harbor's exposed floor reflecting the sky in pools and wet surfaces. His brushwork responds to the complex textures of wet rock, boat hulls, and tidal mud with the directness of immediate observation. The palette shifts toward silvery greys and muted blues characteristic of the tidal environment.