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Beach Paintings for Sale

The beach has always been a destination we jump at the opportunity to explore. It's a destination that for many of us symbolises  holidays, relaxation, calm or even excitement, adventure and stormy weather. Some are drawn to its crowded, noisy, buzzing atmosphere, whilst others are seduced by its silent, contemplative quality that allows for a deeply meditative experience. There is an ideal image of the beach for everyone; whether you're captivated by the chic Côte d'Azur deckchairs, surf lessons in Australia, the wild beaches in Brittany and Normandy, seaside resorts, small Italian coves or the more exotic and tropical locations.

Throughout time, artists have been inspired by the beach in many ways. Each artist has interpreted this huge theme in connection with their era, their artistic identity, the idea they wished to convey and what this location represented for them. 


The beach has been depicted in paintings since the Dutch Golden Age, and is shown in works such as View of Delft by famous baroque artist, Johannes Vermeer. Two centuries later, Gustave Courbet would paint the shores of Trouville and Deauville in Normandy with dazzling realism. The Impressionists would then go on to capture the seaside bathed in light, and most notably would do so “sur le motif": the act of painting outside in natural light and in various weather conditions.  This offered viewers a completely new representation of landscapes, and many Impressionists like Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro remained attached to the seascapes of Normandy. However, other artists would focus on other shores, Van Gogh for example chose to represent La Camargue in his piece Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Monet meanwhile, was inspired by the Côte D'Azur in his painting The Big Blue at Antibes, and Paul Gauguin was captivated by the exotic French Polynesia.  Gauguin created many works inspired by beaches in Tahiti, which is evident in his iconic oil painting Tahitian Women on the Beach. Later, the light and beauty of the Mediterranean would seduce Matisse, who represented the beaches of Nice and the picturesque Collioure shores in his works. His rival Picasso also explored this area, his pieces, Woman Seated on the Beach and Bathers present completely new representations of the beach, where form and colour gradually move away from reality. 


In modern and contemporary art, the beach loses its purpose as an inspiring natural environment and instead becomes a hub of human activity. Roy Lichtenstein's piece Nudes with Beach Ball, demonstrates how the beach has turned into a consumer product for the average holidaymaker. Similarly, Bernard Buffet also paints the seaside packed with human presence; beach cabins, bodies spread out on the sand and parasols dotted across the shores. More recently in 2011, Gianni Colosimo revealed a conceptual art piece called La jolie petite plage de Daniel (Daniel's Pretty Little Beach), which features striped deckchairs inspired by Daniel Buren's columns. Additionally, Ron Mueck installed hyper-realistic human figures made out of resin at the Fondation Cartier in 2013, which illustrated holidaymakers by the sea. Overall, one thing is certain: the beach has not ceased to inspire artistic creation. Artsper invites you to take a well-deserved break and lounge in front of some of the best contemporary art works that have been inspired by a location that is loved by us all.
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Painting, Nacre, Sophie Dumont

Nacre

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 50 x 61 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 24 x 0.8 inch

Sold

Painting, Rivage, Sophie Dumont

Rivage

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 54 x 65 x 2 cm Painting - 21.3 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

Sold

Painting, Le Bassin, Marie Deforche

Le Bassin

Marie Deforche

Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Hossegor, Marie Deforche

Hossegor

Marie Deforche

Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Nous deux, Marcos Zrihen

Nous deux

Marcos Zrihen

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

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Painting, La Provence, Louis Magre

La Provence

Louis Magre

Painting - 60 x 73 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 28.7 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Arone 05, Karine Bartoli

Arone 05

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 60 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Plage, Sophie Dumont

Plage

Sophie Dumont

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

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Painting, 2 Skaters, Karine Bartoli

2 Skaters

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 116 x 89 x 4 cm Painting - 45.7 x 35 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Ponton, Karine Bartoli

Ponton

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 60 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Arone 08, Karine Bartoli

Arone 08

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 90 x 130 x 4 cm Painting - 35.4 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

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Painting, Volley, Karine Bartoli

Volley

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 100 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

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Painting, Sieste, Marie Deforche

Sieste

Marie Deforche

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

Sold

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Photography, Freedom, Rodrigo

Freedom

Rodrigo

Photography - 26.7 x 35.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 10.5 x 14 x 0 inch

CHF 1,953

Photography, Coming Ashore, Slim Aarons

Coming Ashore

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152 x 101 cm Photography - 59.8 x 39.8 inch

CHF 3,274

Painting, La casa roja, Manuel Perez

La casa roja

Manuel Perez

Painting - 100 x 140 x 0.2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 55.1 x 0.1 inch

CHF 2,345

Need help with Beach Paintings ?
Which artist paints beaches?

One famous artist who painted beaches is Claude Monet. An example of one of his beach paintings is La Plage à Trouville, which he painted in 1870 in Trouville, France.

Why paint the beach?

Artists have represented the beach in paintings for decades. The beach was particularly a popular subject matter during the 20th century, at the beginning of which the beach became a popular holiday spot in France and other parts of Europe.  

What is an example of a beach painting?

One famous example of a painting representing a beach is Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory, which the Surrealist painter produced in 1931. Not the typical idyllic holiday beach painting, Dali's work features enigmatic visual elements like his famous melted clock and a timer with ants crawling over it.