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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Categories

Subcategories

Sea

Abstract Navigation

Océan au Crépuscule

Black night sunset

Green lake in summer

Blue water - 3d minimalism impressionist seascape

Night lake in Ukraine

Coastline - Impressionist abstraction blue seascape

Ocean wave - sky line, underwater

Green water - minimalism sea

Abstract Coral Reef

Hawaii Coral Reef

Hawaii Coral Reef Textured Painting

Lake Maggiore blue sea

Grinda Yacht

Adria_Panorama_01

Versilia_Panorama_04

Versilia_Panorama_02

Versilia_Panorama_01

AV_Cruiseship_Panorma

Before The Rain

Sailboats at sea

Yacht at the pier

Royan n°15 (mer, landes)

Round Ocean #85

Black Sea. Ukraine

Yachts at sea

Round Ocean #86

Sailboats

The snorkelist

Kynance Cove

Comme un Poisson Dans l'Eau

Sans titre

- Rodeo 2

Birds and beach

At the beach

Water reflection No 2

Water Reflection

Ressac

Port in Fano

Green abstract landscape and sea, mountains, forest

Black-white Lake

Blue Reflexe blau yellow large abstraction XXL, with love for Ukraine

Waves n°17

Venice

Petra's Sea

The Surfer

Impulsion

PLAGE DE L'OUEST, DOUCE MAREE

Music of stones

Bow Into It

Children on the beach

Where Sky Meets Sea

Amalfi Coast

Collection Bleu d'été - Abysse

Algas 45-XIX

LA COULEUR DE MES RÊVES

True blue

Silence is bliss, Painting, Acrylic on canvas

Untitled

Dualité sous-marine

Profondeurs marines

Relief Blue 17

Relief Blue 13

Rest

Ochakov opposite

Melody of the Country