A vertical wall of chalk cliff occupies the right of the composition, its pale surface banded with horizontal strata and interrupted by a dark, oval recess near the base. Above, a narrow strip of grass and low shrubs crowns the precipice, set against a clear, high sky. To the left, the sea stretches uninterrupted towards the horizon in graduated tones of turquoise, blue and violet, its surface lightly flecked with broken strokes. The viewpoint is elevated, looking obliquely along the cliff edge so that the mass of rock contrasts with the open expanse of water. The paint is laid in varied touches, from small, directional strokes describing the layered limestone to more fluid handling across the sea. Painted during the artist’s campaigns on the Normandy coast, Falaise à Étretat par temps clair forms part of a sustained study of the site’s distinctive geology under differing atmospheric conditions.