In classic art, the Ocean is frequently featured as a dark and dangerous entity, waiting to destroy ships and lives. Marine art progressed along with the evolution of ocean going vessels. Swell-producing tempests and shorebreak mayhem, smashing boats to pieces are common subjects of classic seascapes. In many examples, classic artists painted waves with illuminated skill and menacing detail. In this gallery, we’ll take at look at waves in historical fine art.
The coast and waves are a common theme of Japanese painters and printmakers throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
The most famous depiction of waves in art history is Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” “The Great Wave” is first in Hokusai’s series entitled “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” produced in the ukiyo-e style of woodblock print making. The artist portrays an iconic and beautiful peak about to smash a fleet of fishing boats…or do they quickly turn their boats and ride the wave safely to shore? Maybe a few of the fishermen jump out and bodysurf the wave to safety…
Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) is best known for his dramatic landscape paintings of the frontier Western United States. But as seen here, he beautifully captured breaking waves and the power of the sea.
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (1817-1900) was a Russian Romantic painter best known for his marine art.
Winslow Homer (1836-1910) was an American landscape painter, known for his seascapes.
-KS
Sources:
Famous Seascape Paintings
Japanese Wave Paintings
Albert Bierstadt
Swell Lines 
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