Sea

Majestic and tyrannical, the sea has never ceased to fascinate artists. Untameable, this force of nature seems to have a life of its own and has inspired many artists. Since antiquity, the sea has been represented in all its glory, century after century it is honoured through various styles and colours. However, this desire to escape to the great outdoors is certainly not only reserved for 21st century painters

Maritime art began at the same time as history painting - in the 15th century, and they share many common traits. Maritime painting mostly depicts scenes of combat, historical incidents and mythology where people play a crucial role. It wasn't until the 17th century that artists stopped depicting people in their seascapes and focused solely on the representation of the landscape itself instead.

In the Middle Ages, shipwrecks and storms terrorised citizens as they interpreted them as signs of God's wrath. he church even used images of the rough sea to hold power over its believers.

Representations in classical painting were strictly governed by academic rules, and often didn't manage to convey true emotion. Maritime scenes joined the mainstream in the 19th century, especially with the arrival of the Romantic period as emotions played a much greater role in marine painting. The two great masters of the period were J.M.W Turner and Caspar David Friedrich who captured the attention of their contemporaries and whose works continue to mesmerise us today.

For the impressionists, the sea was a sublimation of nature. During the 19th century, artists come out of their studios in order to paint and describe nature as they saw and feel it. By the end of the 19th century, the sea was no longer a simple, blue expanse but rather an eruption of emotions illuminated through painting.

Contemporary art offers a new insight into creation. Today, the technique is overrun by the message and intention of the work. Therefore, we find all varieties of sea illustrations where the sea becomes an image of contemporary creation. Even though the sea is sometimes reinvented, it remains true to reality.

The new generation of contemporary artists create works that depict freshness, escape, lost coves, waves, and that salty seaside air. Discover our selection inspired by ocean waters.

Search by Image

Save your search and find it in your favorites

24/60 1 10 20 22 23 24 25 26 30 40 50 60

Categories

Subcategories

Sea

Algas 45-IV

Esponjas 8, 11 y 16

Medusas 11, 12 y 13

Sal 22, 23 y 24

Algas 11, 22 y 67

Algas 75, 83 Y 26

Algas 75, 83 Y 26

Algas 14, 41 y 68

Algas 88, 28, 87

Marbella house party

Tuscan Holiday

The Bahamas

Portofino Villa

Charter Ketch

Buzios

Beach Hut In Antibes

Rhode Island Surfers

Un petit coin de paradis, édition

Mer on est bien ici, édition

Cycle Ancient Seas "Ritual"

Favorite Venice

The Bay Dog

Row or Ride?

Vestiges

Port in the Village. Seascape

South Sea

New Horizon 180 - Serene Sky

Coastal

Morning Meeting

In platoon

Galathea Polyphemus

Barbers Tiger: a trio

Surfing

Ice and Fire

Sea 2

Charter Ketch

Marbella house party

Marbella house party

La Pinasse - collection spéciale Grands Formats

Le village de l'Herbe - collection spéciale Grands Formats

Ile d'Aix n°8 (mer, landes)

Sète seas

Before The Rain

Storm break

Amarrage

Santé

Cap ouest

Marée basse

Bien dormi

Floating people

Lady surf the ocean

Light Surf, Chesil Beach

Fondo marino

Reflection

Full moon in the bay

Les vignobles de Myskhako. Printemps

Pirate bay

Untitled

Untitled

Dreams in the clouds

Mille Chemins

Eruption of Colour

Silence No.9

Ocean Drift – Blue & White Acrylic on Canvas (42 × 59 cm, 2025)

The Birth Of Venus

Life