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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, Porto 09, Karine Bartoli

Porto 09

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 81 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 31.9 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

$1,638

Painting, Landscape 2, Gina Vor

Landscape 2

Gina Vor

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

$936

Painting, Landscape 1, Gina Vor

Landscape 1

Gina Vor

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

$936

Painting, Seascape, Sophie Dumont

Seascape

Sophie Dumont

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

$3,627

Painting, Reflux, Sophie Dumont

Reflux

Sophie Dumont

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

$3,627

Painting, La plage, Xiu

La plage

Xiu

Painting - 79 x 59 x 1 cm Painting - 31.1 x 23.2 x 0.4 inch

$2,925

Painting, Ciel gris, Sophie Dumont

Ciel gris

Sophie Dumont

Painting - 75 x 75 x 2 cm Painting - 29.5 x 29.5 x 0.8 inch

$4,563

Painting, Renverse, Sophie Dumont

Renverse

Sophie Dumont

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

$3,393

Painting, Le bassin, Eurgal

Le bassin

Eurgal

Painting - 60 x 73 x 2.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 28.7 x 1 inch

$2,866

Painting, Porto 10, Karine Bartoli

Porto 10

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 97 x 130 x 4 cm Painting - 38.2 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

$2,340

Painting, Estran, Jacques Robert

Estran

Jacques Robert

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

$2,574

Painting, Le phare, Eurgal

Le phare

Eurgal

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1 inch

$2,340

Painting, La barque blanche, Eurgal

La barque blanche

Eurgal

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1 inch

$2,340

Painting, Rivage, Eurgal

Rivage

Eurgal

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1 inch

$2,340

Painting, Toi et moi, Eurgal

Toi et moi

Eurgal

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1 inch

$1,404

Painting, Horizon bleu, Eurgal

Horizon bleu

Eurgal

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1 inch

$1,404

Painting, Arbre rouge, Eurgal

Arbre rouge

Eurgal

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1 inch

$1,404

Painting, Ajaccio 04, Karine Bartoli

Ajaccio 04

Karine Bartoli

Painting - 60 x 80 x 3.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.4 inch

$1,404

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

$1,404

Painting, The 50, Pappay

The 50

Pappay

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

$585

Painting, Grand bleu, Eric Turlot

Grand bleu

Eric Turlot

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

$913

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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

$2,339

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

$2,808

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.