More Refreshing Than a Slice of Watermelon!
As the summer light dominates the sky and the beaches fill with sun lovers nestled under vibrant umbrellas, what better way to dive into the allure of the ocean than through a visual exploration of ten stunning marine-themed paintings? Imagine this: you are lying on the sand, a juicy slice of watermelon in hand, your sunhat tilted casually, engrossed in the crossword puzzle of the day, when suddenly your gaze shifts to a series of artworks that perfectly capture the tranquil essence of your breezy surroundings!
Our selection of renowned seascapes paintings, created by some of the most famous masters of all time, is designed to accompany you on your beach chair or in front of the fan, dreaming of the sound of the ocean. Indeed, it delves into the deep and untamable waters, aiming to move away from bustling ports and city skylines to primarily celebrate the sun, the salt, the waves, and occasionally, a few solitary boats or contemplative figures lost in the infinite dance of the currents!
So, let's embark on this review of artworks that will accompany our adventures throughout the summer of 2024!
The Sea and the Masters: A Top 10 of Marine Paintings
Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, 1831. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
1. A Watermelon Swept Away by Art: Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa
Imagine, once again, enjoying the aforementioned slice of watermelon under the hot summer sun, when suddenly, in front of you, appears an enormous wave ready to sweep you away. You'd probably spit out the seeds everywhere, or the watermelon would fall from your hand! This is exactly the sensation evoked by "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," Hokusai's absolute masterpiece and one of the most iconic and recognizable works in the history of world art.
"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" is a woodblock print created by the Japanese artist Hokusai in late 1831, during the Edo period of Japanese history. The work depicts three boats moving through a stormy sea, with a great wave rising at the center of the image and Mount Fuji visible in the background. The saltwater dominates the composition, capturing the viewer's attention with its grandeur and the intricate details of the foam, which seem like claws ready to grasp the fishermen.
This print is Hokusai's most famous work and the first in his series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," in which the use of Prussian blue revolutionized Japanese woodblock printing. The composition of "The Great Wave" is a synthesis of perspectives conveyed by traditional Eastern art and the graphic perspective developed in Europe. The result is a masterpiece that achieved immediate success in Japan and subsequently in the West, where Hokusai's art inspired works by Impressionists and Post-Impressionists such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.
Curiosity: Why is Hokusai known as an Ukiyo-e artist? Because he excelled in this form of Japanese art that flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. Ukiyo-e, meaning "pictures of the floating world," depicts scenes of everyday life, spectacular landscapes, beautiful women, kabuki actors, and sumo wrestlers. With his skill in woodblock printing, Hokusai created iconic works like "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," which helped define the Ukiyo-e style.
Uehara Konen, Waves, print.
2. The Watermelon is Safe: The Pacified Waves of Uehara Konen
Don't worry, this time your watermelon is safe because the wave before us is much more peaceful compared to Hokusai's. We can enjoy the spectacle without risk, comfortably seated on the shore, letting the breeze refresh us and savoring the salt that settles on our faces. This is precisely the sensation evoked by the waves of Uehara Konen, a Japanese artist born in 1877 in Tokyo and who died in 1940, associated with the Shin-hanga movement.
Konen's works, with their use of shades of blue and detailed representation of wave motion, offer a visual experience that invites contemplation. There is no dramatic tension present in Hokusai's masterpiece; instead, there is a serene beauty that invites the viewer to relax and appreciate the natural rhythm of the waves. This stylistic difference also reflects the evolution of Ukiyo-e towards the Shin-hanga movement, which incorporated Western influences and focused on a more realistic and detailed representation of natural subjects.
Curiosity about the Artist: Have You Ever Heard of Uehara Konen? He was a student of Kajita Hanko and Matsumoto Fuko, known primarily for his landscape prints. Most of his works were initially published by Kobayashi Bunshichi, but the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923 ended this collaboration. Subsequently, Shōzaburō Watanabe, a former employee of Bunshichi, resumed collaboration with Uehara: the prints were mainly intended for the overseas market, especially American, through the Shima Art Company. Uehara Konen's works are preserved in important institutions such as the British Museum in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Library of Congress in Washington, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Gustave Courbet, The Wave, 1869-1870.
3. When European Waves Get Serious: Courbet's Sea
After admiring the imposing and almost mythical Japanese waves, let's take a leap to old Europe to see how our "friend" Gustave Courbet handles the same subject. Sure, European waves may seem a bit smaller and less threatening compared to their oriental counterparts, but don't be fooled: the French master knows how to paint a sea that makes you feel equally small and vulnerable.
Indeed, the masterpiece titled "The Wave" captures the raw power of the sea under a threatening sky. The waves, laden with white foam, crash in a whirlwind of energy that occupies much of the canvas. The choice of dark colors and the detailed rendering of the wave motions testify to Courbet's realistic approach, preferring to depict nature in its truest and rawest form. The sky, heavy with dense clouds, adds an extra layer of drama to the scene, almost suggesting an imminent storm.
Courbet, known as one of the leading exponents of Realism, distinguished himself by his commitment to painting everyday life and nature without idealizations. His works, often characterized by bold brushstrokes and an earthy color palette, aimed to represent reality in an authentic and tangible way. In "The Wave," we can clearly see this approach: the texture of the waves is rendered with great mastery, almost palpable, and the entire painting seems to vibrate with the sea's energy.
Curiosity: The sea was a recurring subject for Courbet, especially in his later artistic production. Fascinated by the strength and natural beauty of the ocean, Courbet created numerous seascapes, each capturing a different mood and atmospheric condition. The sea, with its unpredictability and power, offered the painter a perfect ground to explore his interest in nature and realism.
Paul Gauguin, The Wave, 1888. Private Collection.
4. A Wave of Differences: Courbet and Gauguin Compared
You are still observing the aforementioned realistic and dramatic waves of Gustave Courbet when, all of a sudden, your gaze shifts to Paul Gauguin's work, "The Wave" (1888), transporting you to a completely different interpretation of the subject. Here, the sea's motions are not just natural elements but actors in a vibrant and "dreamlike" scene. From the elevated viewpoint, you can easily imagine some figures being tossed about by the waves, seeking refuge on the red beach.
Indeed, the peculiarities of Gauguin's sea transport us into a colorful dream where movement and dynamism go beyond Courbet's older realism. In "The Wave" (1888), everything seems to come alive under our eyes, irresistibly drawing us into the contemplation of the strong tonal contrasts. The vivid colors and fluid brushstrokes bring to life a sea that appears to dance, while the red beach adds a fantastical element to the scene, making the work even more characteristic of Gauguin's style.
Curiosity: Gauguin was known for his ability to infuse his works with an almost magical quality. Unlike Courbet, he often explored symbolism and primitivism, aiming to capture not only the appearance of nature but also its spirit and essence. This approach is evident in "The Wave," where nature is represented in a nearly mythical manner, with colors and shapes that transcend reality.
Caspar David Friedrich, Monk by the Sea, 1809-10. Oil on canvas. Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin
5. The Monk Who Whispered to the Sea: Salty Meditations
You now find yourself on a desolate beach, far from the typical sunny and crowded southern European coastlines. The sky is gray and threatening, the air is cold, and the sea stretches infinitely before you. This is the atmosphere evoked by "The Monk by the Sea" by Caspar David Friedrich, a masterpiece of German Romanticism created between 1809 and 1810. Indeed, in this painting, Friedrich transports us to a landscape that speaks of solitude, reflection, and the immense power of nature.
The work also depicts a solitary figure, likely a monk, standing against the vastness of the sea and sky. The subject is small and almost insignificant compared to the surrounding landscape, an element that emphasizes the sense of isolation and introspection. The sky, with its dense and dark clouds, occupies much of the canvas, creating a somber and meditative atmosphere.
How can we explain this landscape with a figure? Caspar David Friedrich is one of the leading exponents of German Romanticism, an artistic movement that emphasized emotion, nature, and the sublime. In his paintings, Friedrich often explores the relationship between man and nature, using vast and often threatening landscapes to reflect on human states of mind. In "Monk by the Sea," this relationship is clearly visible: the human figure is small and fragile in the face of nature's majesty and power. Indeed, the master's works usually convey a sense of reverence and awe towards the natural world, a place of beauty and mystery, but also of danger and infinity.
It becomes evident how the 1809-10 masterpiece pushes us to reflect on our smallness and fragility in the face of the vastness of creation. One can imagine the monk, looking at the endless sea, thinking to himself: "That slice of watermelon that fell during my contemplation of Hokusai seems so insignificant now, compared to the vastness of nature." Joking aside, it is through contact with the world that one can better understand their essence, limits, and daily worries.
The Sea near Brighton, John Constable, 1826
6. Brighton and Its Birds: A Typical Day Painted by Constable
Once again, we face a cloudy sky, though less ominous and heavy than the one observed in Caspar David Friedrich's work. In this painting by John Constable, titled "The Sea near Brighton," we can observe a scene where birds fly low. Perhaps they sense the approach of a storm, or maybe they are simply searching for food. Why do I pay attention to their behavior? They effectively represent the dynamic subject of an otherwise static composition, dominated by the horizon line that sharply divides the sky and the sea, crossed by gentle waves.
Constable, a master of romantic landscape painting, depicted Brighton in numerous works, demonstrating a strong connection to this location. The English city was not just a tourist destination for him but an inexhaustible source of artistic inspiration. Its beaches, vast skies, and ever-changing sea offered Constable the opportunity to explore his passion for atmospheric variations and light.
In "The Sea near Brighton," Constable captures the essence of a peaceful and contemplative moment, far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The cloudy sky, with its blending shades of gray and blue, creates a calm yet suggestive atmosphere. The choice of colors and the delicacy of the brushstrokes convey a sense of serenity and reflection.
The overall composition is a perfect example of John Constable's style and his approach to landscape painting. His ability to combine realism and romanticism, along with his attention to atmospheric details, makes his works fascinating and deeply evocative.
Curiosity: John Constable is often remembered as one of the pioneers who laid the groundwork for Impressionism, an artistic movement that would explode a few decades after his time. Unlike many of his contemporaries, the painter preferred to paint outdoors, directly from nature, capturing the essence and light of the moment. This practice, known as "en plein air," was innovative and radical for his time, anticipating the techniques that would be widely adopted by the Impressionists.
Waves Breaking against the Wind, Joseph Mallord William Turner, c.1840. Oil on canvas. National Gallery, London.
7. Turner and the Storm: When Light Challenges the Waves
We plunge back into the stormy sea, and this time the threatening energy of the waves surpasses that in the works of Courbet or Gauguin. After all, we are talking about a work by Joseph Mallord William Turner, the undisputed master at capturing the essence of water's movements and the complex play of light that accompanies them. The work in question, "Waves Breaking against the Wind," created around 1840, is an oil on canvas that we can admire today at the National Gallery in London.
In "Waves Breaking against the Wind," Turner depicts the "angry" sea's movements with vigorous and turbulent brushstrokes, creating a scene where the waves crash against the wind with an almost palpable force. The skillful use of colors, from the dark and stormy tones of the sea to the light reflections that penetrate through the rain-laden clouds, gives the work a dramatic and powerful atmosphere. It's as if we can hear the roar of the waves and the whistle of the wind, while the sea and sky merge in a vortex of primordial energy.
A fascinating detail of this painting is the chromatic contrast between the left and right sides of the canvas. On the left side, Turner uses dark and deep tones, representing the stormiest and most threatening part of the scene. The waves here are shrouded in shadow, conveying a sense of imminent danger and the brutal force of nature. In contrast, the right side of the painting is characterized by lighter and warmer tones, where sunlight manages to break through the storm clouds, creating an effect of hope and tranquility emerging from the chaos.
Curiosity: Turner, like the aforementioned Constable, is considered a precursor of Impressionism. Turner is often referred to as "the painter of light" for his revolutionary use of color and light in his paintings. He was fascinated by the effects of natural light and dedicated much of his career to studying and representing them.
Houses by the Sea, Edgar Degas, 1869. Pastel. Musée d'Orsay, Paris. Credit: photo musée d'Orsay / rmn via Wikipedia
8. Degas Trades Ballerinas for the Beach: A Dive into Art
We return to a more relaxed and vacation-like setting, where we can finally imagine ourselves lying on the beach, with wet sand sticking to our bodies. A scene that evokes tranquility and the desire to shake off those pesky grains, which seem to cling to us like overzealous admirers.
Regarding "Houses by the Sea," the work is a pastel by the French painter Edgar Degas, created in 1869 and housed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. This masterpiece transports us to the coast of Étretat (Normandy, France), a town famous for its breathtaking landscapes, where Degas stayed to visit his friend Manet.
The painting depicts a serene coastal scene. In the foreground, a vast expanse of golden sand is interrupted by a pool of water reflecting the clear sky. In the background, green hills blend with the blue sky, and some houses can be seen along the coast, creating a sense of serenity and isolation. Degas's use of pastel gives the work a soft and blended texture, perfectly capturing the light and atmosphere of the place.
But Where Are the Ballerinas in All This? Despite his famous preference for jockeys and ballerinas, Degas enthusiastically ventured into landscape painting, achieving results of great charm. "Houses by the Sea" is a testament to this versatility. His depiction of the landscape of Étretat, using a technique influenced by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, shows a different dimension of his art.
Vincent van Gogh, Seascape near Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.
9. Van Gogh's Mediterranean: Colors and Tranquility on Canvas
When we observe this painting, we are reminded of Constable's seagulls due to the elegance with which the boats seem to almost glide over the waters. However, the author of the work is Vincent van Gogh, better known for his portraits, still lifes, and landscapes rather than seascapes.
In 1888, Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles, where he also visited the village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, a fishing village situated among the marshes of the Camargue, not far from the mouth of the Rhône. During this stay, the artist created several landscapes, including seascapes and a view of the village, along with several drawings. The painting in question is one of the works that Van Gogh created in Provence, representing one of the few seascapes produced during his stay in the area.
Van Gogh sought to capture the changing colors of the water's surface by "dirtying" the sea with brushstrokes of various shades, such as green and yellow, which overlap the dominant "ultramarine blue" of the Mediterranean, also reflecting the clear sky.
The work not only captures the essence of the Mediterranean with its changing colors but also represents a moment of tranquility and natural beauty that Van Gogh managed to immortalize with his unmistakable painting technique. In fact, the masterpiece was surely executed (at least in part) directly on the beach, as grains of sand were found among the pigments.
Curiosity: In a letter addressed to his brother Theo, Vincent wrote: "I am writing to you from Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea, which has the colors of a mackerel – in other words, changing colors – you don't always know if it is green or purple – you can't even always know if it is blue – because a second later the reflections have taken on pink or gray tones. [...] The beach here is sandy, there are no cliffs or rocks like in Holland, there are no dunes and there is more blue. [...]".
Edward Hopper, The Long Leg, 1935.
10. Light and Solitude at Sea: A Deep Dive into Hopper
We have reached the final piece of our selection of ten seascapes, and the storm is now a distant memory. The boat we admire in the painting, with its sails unfurled, seems now destined solely to enjoy the pleasure of a calm and serene sea, sailing through it with tranquil harmony. Summer returns to shine, immersed in a vacation-like and relaxing atmosphere, offering its pleasures under a clear and bright sky. This sense of peace and serenity is magnificently captured by Edward Hopper in his painting "The Long Leg," a visual testimony to the beauty and tranquility that nature can offer.
The work depicts an idyllic marine scene, with a sandy coast in the background, softened by the presence of dunes that host a white lighthouse with a dark roof, flanked by lower white buildings. The ensemble creates a serene and luminous composition, with a horizon that extends almost infinitely, evoking a sense of tranquility and isolation. In fact, the human presence, which is only suggested and not explicitly depicted, emphasizes both the interaction between man and nature and a profound sense of solitude.
Curiosity: Solitude is a recurring theme in Hopper's works, perhaps reflecting his own introverted personality. He indeed spent much time alone in his studio, working meticulously on every detail of his canvases.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
