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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Painting, Vinterljus, Marie Sandell

Vinterljus

Marie Sandell

Painting - 90 x 66 x 2.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 26 x 1 inch

$2,610

Painting, Le Bain, Julien Raynaud

Le Bain

Julien Raynaud

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

$4,152

Painting, Storm tent, Peter de Boer

Storm tent

Peter de Boer

Painting - 100 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$4,389

Painting, Estran, Jacques Robert

Estran

Jacques Robert

Painting - 70 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$2,610

Painting, Tumulte, Marie Line Robert

Tumulte

Marie Line Robert

Painting - 91 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 35.8 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

$1,008

Photography, Stingray, Marcus Cederberg

Stingray

Marcus Cederberg

Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$237

Print, Landscape, Alex Katz

Landscape

Alex Katz

Print - 66 x 112 x 0.1 cm Print - 26 x 44.1 x 0 inch

$11,863

Painting, Porto, Karine Bartoli

Porto

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 38 x 45.5 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 17.9 x 0.8 inch

$1,068

Painting, Arone 011, Karine Bartoli

Arone 011

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 66 x 81 x 2.5 cm Painting - 26 x 31.9 x 1 inch

$1,424

Fine Art Drawings, Porto Pollo_14, Galya Popova

Porto Pollo_14

Galya Popova

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

$427

Painting, Be happy, Andrii Chebotaru

Be happy

Andrii Chebotaru

Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

$2,254

Sculpture, Denim, Richard Orlinski

Denim

Richard Orlinski

Sculpture - 180 x 65 x 40 cm Sculpture - 70.9 x 25.6 x 15.7 inch

$65,248

Painting, Unis…, Olivier Messas

Unis…

Olivier Messas

Painting - 40 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$1,898

Painting, Falaises, Sophie Dumont

Falaises

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 89 x 116 x 2 cm Painting - 35 x 45.7 x 0.8 inch

$7,355

Painting, Mer bleu, Xiu

Mer bleu

Xiu

Painting - 80 x 60 x 1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

$2,729

Painting, Sky, Nataliia Krykun

Sky

Nataliia Krykun

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$2,373

Painting, Arctic, Nicolas Ruelle

Arctic

Nicolas Ruelle

Painting - 81 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.9 x 51.2 x 1 inch

$1,424

Painting, Exil, Nicolas Ruelle

Exil

Nicolas Ruelle

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1 inch

$1,186

Painting, Rivages, Nicolas Ruelle

Rivages

Nicolas Ruelle

Painting - 81 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.9 x 51.2 x 1 inch

$1,424

Painting, Infini, Eurgal

Infini

Eurgal

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2.5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1 inch

$3,915

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