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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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Painting, Caribbean Dream, Ana Hefco

Caribbean Dream

Ana Hefco

Painting - 61 x 45.7 x 3.8 cm Painting - 24 x 18 x 1.5 inch

$1,300

Painting, Caspiu, Karine Bartoli

Caspiu

Karine Bartoli

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

$2,312

Painting, Seascape, Jane Ti

Seascape

Jane Ti

Painting - 120 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$1,250

Painting, Catch, Peter Tovpev

Catch

Peter Tovpev

Painting - 75 x 85 x 2 cm Painting - 29.5 x 33.5 x 0.8 inch

$428

Photography, AV_Miami_011, Bernhard Lang

AV_Miami_011

Bernhard Lang

Photography - 96 x 120 x 2 cm Photography - 37.8 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$2,878

Painting, The Light, Michael Grine

The Light

Michael Grine

Painting - 235 x 143.5 x 0.3 cm Painting - 92.5 x 56.5 x 0.1 inch

$4,000

Painting, Owl, Michael Grine

Owl

Michael Grine

Painting - 121.9 x 91.4 x 3.8 cm Painting - 48 x 36 x 1.5 inch

$4,000

Painting, Sunshine, Nicolas Ruelle

Sunshine

Nicolas Ruelle

Painting - 50 x 50 x 2.5 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 1 inch

$324

Painting, Nightsea, Peter de Boer

Nightsea

Peter de Boer

Painting - 30 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,040

Painting, North Wind, Iryna Bondar

North Wind

Iryna Bondar

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

$809

Painting, Porto Moniz, Iryna Bondar

Porto Moniz

Iryna Bondar

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$751

Painting, Blue, Sophie Duplain

Blue

Sophie Duplain

Painting - 27 x 41 x 2 cm Painting - 10.6 x 16.1 x 0.8 inch

$578

Painting, Estran, Jacques Robert

Estran

Jacques Robert

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

$3,352

Print, L'escalier, Maude Ovize

L'escalier

Maude Ovize

Print - 49 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print - 19.3 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$347

Painting, Ocean, Ad Van Riel

Ocean

Ad Van Riel

Painting - 100 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

$5,664

Photography, Upsurge, Angela Cameron

Upsurge

Angela Cameron

Photography - 101.6 x 139.7 x 0.5 cm Photography - 40 x 55 x 0.2 inch

$1,750

Photography, AV_Miami_15, Bernhard Lang

AV_Miami_15

Bernhard Lang

Photography - 120 x 85 x 2 cm Photography - 47.2 x 33.5 x 0.8 inch

$2,878

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