Born in Cherbourg in 1856, Henry Moret trained under Jean-Léon Gérôme and Jean-Paul Laurens. Drawn to the creative ferment of Pont-Aven, he arrived there in 1888 and soon joined the circle surrounding Paul Gaugin, whose radical ideas of Synthetism profoundly shaped his early work. In particular, he formed a close friendship with Gustave Loiseau and Maxime Maufra. They travelled, painted and exhibited together, which led to a lifelong respect and support for each other’s work. Moret settled in Brittany for the rest of his life, dedicated to capturing the spirit of the coastline.

By the mid-1890s, under the representation of the famed dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, Moret’s style was evolving. He created a distinct harmony between Synthetism and Impressionism, with his brushwork growing and more atmospheric, and his palette brighter and more harmoniously balanced. This is exemplified in ‘Falaises, côtes de Moëlan sur mer’. The composition radiates light and colour, the landscape rendered in vivid strokes that convey both structure and movement. Here, Moret captures the lyrical spirit of Brittany, the play of light over land and water, while retaining the bold chromatic contrasts learned from Gauguin’s circle.

‘Falaises, côtes de Moëlan sur mer’ embodies Moret’s unique achievement: the successful union of avant-garde colour theory with the emotive naturalism of Impressionism. Works from this period are among the most sought-after in his oeuvre, reflecting the full flowering of his artistic identity and his enduring devotion to the Breton landscape.