Fragmentary Statue of a Figure with Kyphosis

Fascinated by Dutch painting, Boudin made frequent voyages to the Netherlands to paint its cities and countryside. The artist visited Dordrecht several times, eventually completing dozens of works devoted to the city. He painted several views of the Grote Kerk from a number of points of view—here, from a canal. Boudin’s practice of painting a motif from several viewpoints proved influential to his younger colleague Claude Monet, who later became known for his series of paintings devoted to iconic views and sites in Rouen, London, and Venice, among other locales.