In the early summer of 1953 Redpath spent ten days on holiday in Brittany. She was based in Treboul and spent time in the nearby fishing port of Concarneau, where this painting is set. During this time Redpath worked with a restrained palette similar to that used by the French painter Georges Braque (1882-1963), whose work she greatly admired. She described his colours as, ‘mouse grey, soft green, and black, both profound yet muted – discreet and restrained in a narrow range.’