The comfortable and warm day Pavil found to paint along a sunny coastline has geographic clues to the location, indicating this spot is just north of the famous beach at Trouville, where all the great impressionists, from Boudin to Monet, painted at one time or another. The striped privacy tents, large curtained umbrellas and the green foliage feeding right up to beach are all in keeping with the French northwest. If so, the long pier at a slight distance would be coming out at the Port of Trouville, making this stretch of beach the coastal beach near Le Havre.

Pavil’s adoption of the principles of Plein-Air painting makes color, light and soft shadows his primary subjects within the leisure scene. Only early into the 20TH Century did beaches truly become places of common public recreation, where before the resorts were focusing on their patrons privacy and sexual segregation. Likewise, the art world would be a leading force of change, and soon bathing beauties, penny postcards and fashion design would become all the rage. Pavil is at the forefront of this period, capturing the emotional peace of a day at the beach.

An ‘Artist Retailers Stencil’ exists verso on the canvas.