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.

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Subcategories

Sea

Underwater Pastel Green No1

Water reflection

Seascape

Noon at sea

New Horizon 182 - Ocean and Bougainvillea

New Horizon 176

New Horizon 175

New Horizon 17

Moonlight on Lake Millstadt

Sunrise

Digital Lavender romantic sunset

L'émotion de la mer

Pure Life

Viaje

White Melody

Gamins / Gamines

People on the beach

Plage du Roux n°5 (paysage marin, ciel, mer calme, nuages, vagues)

Pointe Espagnole n°4 (paysage marin, ciel, mer, nuages, vagues)

Royan n°16 (paysage marin, ciel, mer, nuages, marée basse, plage)

Game with waves

L'Air du Temps, 1

La Plage à Jo, 1

Village de pêcheurs

Sunny Wind

Sea Harbor

Yantarnoe, 27/02/2021, 20h14

No Comment

Rowers

Pas peur

Harbour, night

Amber Rose Window,

Leitmotif sur une Ondulation II (paysage marin, mer, vagues)

California Spring

La mer

Sail Boats And Clouds L 1

Seascape sailing impressions XL 25

Sail boats L 5

Stormy sailing Regatta M 1

Seagulls on the move

Stormy Wave

Seascape sailing impressions XL 24

Sailing Adventure XL 1

Sans titre (Côtes d'Armor)

Storm

Sans titre (Côtes d'Armor)

New Day

Arrival at the beach

100th Anniversary Celebration Coffret # 12 - By the sea

Whisper of the Turquoise Wind

Docked in Silence

Meeting at Sea

Venice is Beautiful

Sea Serenity

Venice in silver

Régate 3

VéNus 01 #echafaudage

Full Sails

Tiny whales from above

Autumn Port

Cloud

Fishes

Fishing nets

Vent et voile... (Esprit Voile) (1)

Sea. Serenity 3

Régate d'été... II (esprit voile 2016)