Conference - Claude Joseph Vernet, premier peintre français de marines

In the 18th century, marine painting became a genre in its own right.
The first great exponent of this specialty, Claude Joseph Vernet gave a new lease of life to marine painting, thanks to the variety of his output, which was expressed through the commission given to him by Louis XV: it took ten years to complete, 15 canvases were painted, and 8 ports were immortalized with views that have become masterpieces. The artist stayed in La Rochelle for a year (1761-1762) to paint the ports of La Rochelle and Rochefort.