Conversation At The Balustrade

This scene depicting a conversation between a sea captain and an elegantly dressed woman belongs to the world of seaside leisure during the Belle Époque, a subject to which Georges Binet devoted part of his work.

The artist’s career remained closely associated with Normandy. He depicted the banks of the Seine, the landscapes of the Pays de Caux, and the beaches of the Côte d’Albâtre.

His Norman landscapes, particularly his views of the beaches of the Pays de Caux, are among his most sought-after works. Executed in an Impressionist manner, these compositions are characterised by light, fluid brushstrokes, barely suggested architectural forms, and particular attention to the changing effects of light.

Georges Binet exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1889 to 1939 and collaborated with Fernand Cormon on the decorative panels for the Gare d’Orsay in Paris. In 2020, the MuséoSeine in Caudebec-en-Caux devoted an exhibition to his work as part of the Normandie Impressionniste festival.