“Houses by the Sea” is a landscape painting by Chaim Soutine, created around 1918 in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. As a work influenced by Expressionism, it captures the artist’s emotional response to the scene rather than a realistic depiction. The painting is part of a private collection and showcases Soutine’s signature style within the genre of landscape.
The artwork itself features a dynamic and somewhat tumultuous portrayal of a coastal village scene. There’s a swirling energy to the composition, with houses that seem to be both crumbling and moving at the same time. The brushwork is loose and expressive, with thick application of paint, reflecting the typical Expressionist focus on the artist’s inner feelings and perspective rather than precise detail. The colors are rich and layered, with a palette that ranges from earthy tones to blues and whites, suggesting the proximity to the sea and the sky. There is no clear definition or sharp separations between the elements; instead, they seem to blend and merge into one another, enhancing the feeling of movement and possibly the artist’s perception of instability or change. Despite the chaotic arrangement, the human settlement is recognizable, with the structures discernable and the presence of the sea creating a sense of place.