Between 1883 and 1886, Monet stayed several times in Étretat in Normandy, a place famous for its unusual cliffs. While in Étretat, Monet portrayed how the landscapes shifted depending on the time and weather. “Morning in Étretat” depicts the cliff known as Porte d’Amont‎, which looks like an elephant stretching its nose out over the water surface, along with the dazzling morning light falling on the shore and the surging wild waves.