Petites Dalles, a small hamlet on the coast of Normandy visited by Pissarro and Monet in the winter of 1883, is mentioned in a letter from Pissarro to Durand-Ruel dated 21 November of that year, "Je compte partir d'ici samedi matin, en compagnie de M. Monet de Déville, pour faire une petite excursion aux Petites Dalles hameau qui se trouve près de Fécamp, au bord de la mer. Je serai de retour lundi et quitterai Rouen définitivement vers mercredi ou jeudi de la semaine prochaine".

In addition to the present work the visit also resulted in two paintings of the rocky coast near Petites Dalles (Venturi nos. 599 and 600).

We are grateful to Christopher Lloyd for his help in researching this work