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.

Search by Image

Save your search and find it in your favorites

4/59 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 20 30 40 50 59

Categories

Subcategories

Sea

Dreams in Pastel Light

Oceanic soul

Light’s First Kiss

Frühlingssymphonie II (paysage marin, ciel, mer, nuages, vagues)

Transparence

L'Envolée Secrète

Depth of Serenity

Improvisation d'aurore (paysage marin, ciel, mer, nuages, océan)

Vibration spirituelle… (Expression libre)

Entre ciel et mer

La bise ultime

Landscapes 152

Dawn Dream Desire (stretched)

Un soir à Natashquan Canada

Boiling Bubbles North

Lovely Bretagne

Une Belle Journée

Le calme de l'horizon

Ciel changeant

Plage à marée basse

Hope Of Deliverance

Unsinkable consumption

Formentera, Parasol Rouge

AV_Adria_010

Paix en mer... (esprit voile 2022)

La guerre des couleurs

Above the sea

Sea etude

Path Through the Sky

The Wave of Change

Landscape 1

Beauty of Stillness II

Les cabanes tchanquées Arcachon

Hope Of Deliverance (Orange)

Immerse ourselves in the present moment

Always choose Delight

Pearls

Morning of the sea

Untitled (Calm Landscape)

My Ferrari, my Louboutins and my holidays

Ultimo scoglio

On sort les voiles

Summer Wind 11

Serenity Unbound

On the rock

Boiling Bubbles South

Transparency of thoughts

Lumen

Seascape Landscape, Sea Painting - Monet Cliff

Je t'aime mon village

Ferragosto

Cognizant

Serenity V - White box frame

Lumières du rivage

Les voiliers de l’aurore...III (Esprit Voile)

Les voiliers de l'aurore... I (Esprit Voile)

Reflets du matin... (Esprit Voile)

LA BAULE, SOUVENIR

Plage de Saint-Aubin

Storm tent

Littoral normand

Carpe diem

Essaouira, un air d'Océan

Old bath

Searching for the sea

Reflux