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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Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Francesc Genovés

Untitled

Francesc Genovés

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$642

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Francesc Genovés

Untitled

Francesc Genovés

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$642

Photography, The Bahamas, Slim Aarons

The Bahamas

Slim Aarons

Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch

$4,265

Painting, Coastal, Suzanne Vaughan

Coastal

Suzanne Vaughan

Painting - 101.6 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Painting - 40 x 40 x 0.1 inch

$1,680

Painting, In platoon, Rocio Ahnert

In platoon

Rocio Ahnert

Painting - 62 x 77 x 2 cm Painting - 24.4 x 30.3 x 0.8 inch

$809

Painting, Surfing, Trayko Popov

Surfing

Trayko Popov

Painting - 55 x 75 x 0.5 cm Painting - 21.7 x 29.5 x 0.2 inch

$751

Painting, Porquerolles plage, ZiB

Porquerolles plage

ZiB

Painting - 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$832

Painting, Code 2225, Thierry Carrier

Code 2225

Thierry Carrier

Painting - 41 x 43 x 2 cm Painting - 16.1 x 16.9 x 0.8 inch

$2,081

Painting, Fracas, Agnès Tiollier

Fracas

Agnès Tiollier

Painting - 97 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting - 38.2 x 51.2 x 1 inch

$4,392

Painting, Océan, Agnès Tiollier

Océan

Agnès Tiollier

Painting - 120 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

$4,623

Photography, Rupture, Tanguy Mendrisse

Rupture

Tanguy Mendrisse

Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$266

Painting, Seas, Mª Rosa Germán

Seas

Mª Rosa Germán

Painting - 62 x 79 x 0.5 cm Painting - 24.4 x 31.1 x 0.2 inch

$1,156

Painting, Life, Raquel Adan

Life

Raquel Adan

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

$2,312

Painting, Carpe Diem, Galia Chuntova

Carpe Diem

Galia Chuntova

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

$1,676

Painting, La Playa, Sylvie Eudes

La Playa

Sylvie Eudes

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

$4,161

Painting, Coastal Calm, Karen Hale

Coastal Calm

Karen Hale

Painting - 101.6 x 101.6 x 3.8 cm Painting - 40 x 40 x 1.5 inch

$4,350

Painting, Untitled 71, Lucio Forte

Untitled 71

Lucio Forte

Painting - 18 x 26 x 0.1 cm Painting - 7.1 x 10.2 x 0 inch

$127

Painting, Oasis, Thomas Jeunet

Oasis

Thomas Jeunet

Painting - 100 x 150 x 3.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 1.4 inch

$4,046

Painting, Drak night II, Zelie Alice

Drak night II

Zelie Alice

Painting - 101.6 x 120.7 x 3.8 cm Painting - 40 x 47.5 x 1.5 inch

$2,090

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