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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Flight between the stars - blue, navy, white, black large abstraction, drops, expressionism dropping inspired by Jackson Pollock

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Subcategories

Sea

Magical Amalfi Coast

Evening rays off the Amalfi Coast

Glare on the waves 9

Evening glare on the water 9

Sunny day - seascape, water, Skyline, ocean (2)

Blue water - seascape, water, Skyline, ocean

Minimalism seascape - blue lake, water, Skyline, ocean

Ripples under the Surface

Wildclouds above purple sky

L'escalier

Surfspot

Oraison

Evening Dubrovnik

Look the ocean

Dock of the Bay (paysage abstrait, reflets, eau)

En voie de disparition IV

Glimmering Waves

Sea III

Wild ocean

Touch III

Walking on dreams

Serenity V - White box frame

Nirvana

Le Confident Gonflable

Aux premières lueurs de l’aube... (Esprit Voile)

Le temps qui passe…III (Esprit voile)

Au lever du jour... (Esprit voile 2021)

À bon port... (Esprit voile 2022)

Poissons

Surfer

Flight between the stars - blue, navy, white, black large abstraction, drops, expressionism dropping inspired by Jackson Pollock

French Riviera Series - turquoise seascape horizon impressionsm

Silver shimmering

From the Series Blue Lagoon Ocean 2482023

From the Series Blue Lagoon Ocean 2492023

From the Series Blue Lagoon Ocean 2092023

Romantic Night Sailing L 3

Whisper of the Tides

Fantasy Sunset

Romantic Evening Sailing M 2

Sardinia. Porto Pollo_7

Energy of the sea.

Dubrovnik

La mer la nuit

Les reflets du ciel et de la mer... (Esprit Voile)

Magic of the French Riviera

Golden sunset of Monaco

Scarlet Sail

Indigo

Le sud de mes envies

Seascape. Sunset 6

Sea. Light 10.

Sunset magic 5.

Affectionate waves

Ocean 2.

Ocean. Beach.

Sud

Ella

Transformation

Morning Venice and the Gondolier

Fluid horizon IV

Energy of Moon

Evening Venice

Dessa ljuvliga kvällar

Ginestart

Walk. Seascape original painting