Claude Joseph Vernet was a French painter known for his Mediterranean harbour scenes. He was also one of the century’s best exponents of tempests and moonlight scenes. This accomplished version of Vernet’s Mediterranean Night depicts the calm evening, following a busy day of fishing. The weary fishermen cook their suppers over campfires, and the whole scene is richly illuminated by the rising moon.

This work is featured in our Moonlight in Paintings and Watercolours exhibition – see the EXHIBITIONS page for more information

This nocturne’s radiance is created by multiple layers of translucent and opaque paint applied with consummate technical skill. Using the handle of his brush or a palette knife, the artist scraped away top layers of dark color to reveal underlying pinks, golds, and blues in the clouds.