Return From Fishing facts for kids
The Return from Fishing: Hauling the Boat is a famous painting by the Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla. He painted it in 1894. This large artwork, measuring about 2.6 meters tall and 4 meters wide, shows a scene from a fishing village.
The painting has been on display at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France, since 1977. It captures the moment a fishing boat returns to shore. You can see two strong oxen pulling the boat onto the beach, surrounded by busy fishermen.
History of the Painting
The French government bought this painting in 1895 for 6,000 francs. It was shown at an art show called the Salon in Paris.
Over the years, the painting moved to different famous museums. It was displayed at the Musée du Luxembourg and the Louvre in Paris. Later, it moved to the Musée national d'art moderne. Since 1977, it has been a special part of the collection at the Musée d'Orsay.
This artwork has traveled around the world for many exhibitions. Some notable places where it was shown include:
- Salon de la Société des artistes français - Paris, 1895
- Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida - New York, 1989
- Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida - Saint Louis, 1989
- Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida - San Diego, 1989
- Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida - Valencia, 1989 - 1990
- Sargent-Sorolla - Madrid, 2006 - 2007
- Sargent-Sorolla - Paris, 2007
- Joaquin Sorolla 1863-1923 - Museo Nacional del Prado - Madrid, 2009
- L'Espagne entre deux siècles de Zuloaga à Picasso - Paris, 2011 - 2012
- Joaquín Sorolla. Spaniens Meister des Lichts - Munich, 2016
- Sorolla. Un peintre espagnol à Paris - Giverny, 2016
- Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light - The National Gallery - London, 2019
What the Painting Shows
The painting shows a lively scene on El Cabañal beach in Valencia, Spain. It's the moment a fishing boat comes back from the sea.
In the middle of the painting, two large oxen are pulling a type of boat called a Catalan boat. The boat's big sail is flapping in the wind. It looks like the wind is helping the oxen pull the boat.
On the left side, a fisherman waits with a wooden plank. He might use it to help move the boat onto the sand. Another sailor is sitting on one of the oxen's necks, guiding it. In the background, you can see another sailor inside the boat, watching. Further back, in the bright light, a last fisherman adjusts a rope to help the wind with the boat's movement.
Sorolla used many shades of blue for the sea and sky. He also used light and shadow to make parts of the painting stand out. The bright sunlight bursts through the shadows created by the large sail.
See also
In Spanish: El regreso de la pesca: remolcando el barco para niños
