sailboats at sea paintings

Claude Monet’s six most splendid paintings of sailboats

by Barista Uno | Nov 15, 2021 | Maritime Art, Culture and History

Sailboats held as much as fascination for French Impressionist master Claude Monet as water lilies and haystacks . He made several paintings of them. The following, in my opinion, are his most splendid works on the subject. They spotlight not only the beauty and elegance of sailboats. More importantly, they show Monet’s inimitable handling of colour, light and atmosphere.

“For me, a landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life – the air and the light, which vary continuously. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere which gives subjects their true value.”

— claude monet, 1891 (as quoted by tate uk ).

Sailboat in Petit-Gennevilliers, 1874 Claude Monet (1840–1926) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

A sky exploding with wonderful colours and reflections on the serene waters of the Seine combine to transform an ordinary sailboat into something majestic.

Sailboats, regatta at Argenteuil, 1874 Claude Monet (1840–1926) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Monet used the same pale palette for the sky, the sailboats and the river, adding tints of red for the houses to break the uniformity. Sky and water are dappled, and the boats are appear bunched together as they move gracefully along the river. All this gives the painting a peculiar kind of vitality and charm.

Le Havre, Fishing Boats Leaving the Port, 1874 Claude Monet (1840–1926) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

It’s a wet morning, but a crowd has gathered on the waterfront to watch the fishing boats sail out of the harbour to the open sea. The small figures in the foreground make the boats and their proud sails seem like multistoried buildings. This is captivating art with a narrative element.

Fishing Boats at Sea, 1868 Claude Monet (1840–1926) Courtesy of Wikiart: Visual Art Encyclopedia

Monet turned an ordinary day in the life of fishermen into a theatrical scene. The boat in the foreground is like an actor making his stage entrance as the curtain of day is raised. The two boats are rendered in dark brown to provide a contrast to the streaks of white light in the sky.

The Cliffs at Étretat, 1886 Claude Monet (1840–1926) Courtesy of Wikiart: Visual Art Encyclopedia

This painting — one of many done by Monet of the Étretat cliffs — is bursting  with energy. Small patches of green, yellow and brownish orange are skillfully blended to create the impression of a dynamic but not choppy sea. The brightly coloured sky and the flotilla of small fishing boats accentuate the massive, towering cliffs.

Seascape, Storm, 1866 Claude Monet (1840–1926) Courtesy of The Clark, Massachusetts, USA

Seascape, Storm is an early work by Monet that is markedly different in style and technique from his later Impressionist paintings. In lieu of small, swift brushtrokes, the colours are applied solidly with some areas worked with a palette knife. The fishing boat is set against an ominous grey sky, and the sea is mostly a dark green. Just below the horizon line is a long strip of bright green, Monet suggesting perhaps that the storm will blow over, that there is hope.

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Art vs. reality: claude monet’s paintings of étretat.

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Edouard Manet French

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 818

Manet summered at Gennevilliers in 1874, often spending time with Monet and Renoir across the Seine at Argenteuil, where Boating was painted. Beyond adopting the lighter touch and palette of his younger Impressionist colleagues, Manet exploits the broad planes of color and strong diagonals of Japanese prints to give inimitable form to this scene of outdoor leisure. Rodolphe Leenhoff, the artist’s brother-in-law, is thought to have posed for the sailor but the identity of the woman is uncertain. Shown in the Salon of 1879, Boating was deemed "the last word in painting" by Mary Cassatt, who recommended the acquisition to the New York collectors Louisine and H.O. Havemeyer.

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#6250. Boating

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Fig. 1. Mary Cassatt, "The Boating Party," 1893/1894, oil on canvas, 35 7/16 x 46 3/16 in. (90 x 117.3 cm) (National Gallery of Art, Washington)

Fig. 2. Stop, “La Femme Edredon, par M. Manet, chef de l’entreprise des bateaux coupés” (The Eiderdown-Woman, by Mr. Manet, leader of the business of cut boats), "Le Journal amusant," June 14, 1879, no. 204 (Bibliothèque nationale, Paris) (Repro’d. in Darragon 1991, p. 404, no.339.)

Fig. 3. Edouard Manet, "Boats at Sea, Sunset," ca. 1868, oil on canvas, 43 x 94 cm (Musée d’art moderne André Malraux, Le Havre)

Fig. 4. Edouard Manet, "Argenteuil," 1874, oil on canvas, 149 x 115 cm (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tournai)

Fig. 5. Edouard Manet, "The Swallows," 1873, oil on canvas, 65 x 81 cm (Foundation E. G. Bührle Collection, Zürich)

Fig. 6. Edouard Manet, "On the Beach," 1873, oil on canvas, 95.9 x 73 cm (Musée d’Orsay, Paris)

Artwork Details

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Title: Boating

Artist: Edouard Manet (French, Paris 1832–1883 Paris)

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 38 1/4 x 51 1/4 in. (97.2 x 130.2 cm)

Classification: Paintings

Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929

Accession Number: 29.100.115

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Timeline of art history, couples in art, impressionism: art and modernity, édouard manet (1832-1883), france, 1800-1900 a.d., museum publications.

The Romantic Vision of Caspar David Friedrich: Paintings and Drawings from the U.S.S.R.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Masterpiece Paintings

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 8, Modern Europe

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide

Splendid Legacy: The Havemeyer Collection

Masterpieces of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Masterpieces of Painting in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Masterpieces of European Painting, 1800–1920, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Manet/Degas

Manet, 1832–1883

Looking to Connect with European Paintings: Visual Approaches for Teaching in the Galleries

Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Impressionism: A Centenary Exhibition

Guide to The Metropolitan Museum of Art

French Paintings: A Catalogue of the Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 3, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

European Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Artists Born before 1865: A Summary Catalogue

Art = Discovering Infinite Connections in Art History

American Impressionism and Realism: The Painting of Modern Life, 1885–1915

"The Impressionist Brush"

"Impressionists in the Metropolitan"

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10 Famous Ship Paintings In The World

Marine Art or ship paintings are a broad niche in the world of painting and sculpture. Many themes, ideas, emotions and periods are beautifully portrayed in such paintings, depicting ships engaged in battle, merchant vessels gliding over the horizon, exploration vessels of the bygone times, ships of powerful generals and pirates and so on.

Most of the world’s famous ship paintings date back to the Age of Exploration and the Age of Conquest, from the 16th to the 18th centuries. These were the times when rapid advancements in maritime technology brought about a revolution in shipping. Many new maritime vessels were being constructed to fulfil the needs of powerful naval states like Portugal, Spain and later the British Empire.

Ships of this era played a vital role in propelling these mercantilist economies and allowed trade between the European continent, the Americas and South East Asia. That may be why ship paintings intrigue art lovers and history enthusiasts alike.

In this article, let us look at the world’s ten famous ship paintings.

Table of Contents

1. The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her last Berth to be Broken Up (1838)

One of the most renowned paintings by the English painter and artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, it depicts the last voyage of the Admiralty’s premier vessel 90-gun HMS Temeraire as it was being taken from the Thames River to Rotherhithe in London for being scrapped. 

The  1838 oil-on-canvas painting received great attention from art lovers and audiences for its symbolism and vivid play of colours. Painted in the era of Romanticism, it also portrayed the coming of the age of steamships.

The veteran vessel was once dreaded by the enemy states and played a pivotal role in the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the Spanish and French Navies.

However, by 1838 the warship was more than 40 years old and was sold off to a private company, evident in the painting, as the ship carries a white flag instead of the union flag. The Royal Academy exhibited it in 1839, along with a line adapted by Turner from Thomas Campbell’s poem. It said, ‘Ye Mariners of England: The Flag which brave the battle and the breeze, No longer owns her’.

There is a disagreement among people regarding whether Turner saw it being tugged or recreated the scene from his imagination. Nonetheless, he has aptly portrayed the glorious old warship, once the pride of the British Naval fleet.

In 2020, it was printed on the new £20 banknote, while the original can be admired in the National Gallery of London.

2. The Storm on the Sea of Galilee

The 1633 oil painting by Dutch Baroque artist Rembrandt Van Rijn is one of the greatest art thefts in the world. The serene work depicts the biblical event of Jesus calming the storm on this sea, as described in the holy book. It is the painter’s only seascape painting. However, it was stolen in 1990 from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. 

The painting remains missing, and the mystery behind its theft remains unsolved. However, it has been in the news quite a few times.

It shows Jesus sitting peacefully while his disciples are trying to remain composed in the face of a heavy storm that has engulfed their boat. While they are tense, they try to hide their concerns and solely rely on Jesus to help them face the crisis. 

While the painting is not very exciting or dramatic, it gives a spiritual feel to many. The emotions and feelings of the disciples have been beautifully portrayed by Rembrandt.

3. A First Rate Man-of-War Driven Onto a Reef of Rocks, Floundering in a Gale

The eighteenth century was the era of ship paintings, usually commissioned by wealthy patrons like Merchants apart from Royals. However, sometimes the artists also depicted some famous ships in their artworks. One such masterpiece was painted by George Philip Reinagle, known for his mesmerising sea paintings. 

Unlike other artists, who focussed on the vessel, he highlighted the ever-changing character of the seas, the power and the might of waves that tore apart many famous ships.

His 1836 painting is true to its name as it shows a vessel caught in the clutches of a raging and tumultuous sea.

It also highlights one of the most dangerous aspects of marine travel: the possibility of death if the seamen were caught in a terrible storm, also called a gale.

This work is iconic as it depicts an almost realistic scene as if it were happening in front of one’s eyes. It also lets one imagine how many lives must have been taken by the high seas during those times.

4. Becalmed off Halfway Rock

Most ship paintings depict vessels engaged in naval wars or caught between the powerful waves on the high seas. However, very few portray the calm and serene nature of the seas.

One such work is the 1860 painting by Fitz Hugh Lane that beautifully captures a scene that people outside of the maritime world can never experience. It portrays a vessel close to Halfway Rock, a popular marker between Boston and Cape Ann.

It was a famous halting point for merchant vessels and supply ships. They could catch up with other boats and also promote their business at this point, while it also allowed the sailors to relax and rejuvenate themselves on land.

The painting shows two big ships anchored and three boats moving from one point to another as if dealing with cargo items being carried in the big ships. This painting is currently in the National Gallery, Washington.

5. Breezing Up 

A Fair Wind/Breezing Up, painted by Winslow Homer between 1873-76, shows a catboat with three young lads and a man. It is one of the most iconic paintings in the US. It has excellent symbolism and portrays harsh waves, yet the people on the boat look calm and in control of the situation.

Hence, a certain kind of optimism is evident in the work, and though it is not a large painting, it truly reflects the spirit of American life in those days. The anchor in the bow of the vessel is interpreted as symbolising hope for the bright future of the newly formed United States.

The painting portrays the growing influence of Japanese styles of art on European painters in the 19th century. Homer had been to France to get inspiration for his paintings from his contemporaries like Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet. The painting was completed in 1876 and showcased many influences of the time.

6. The Home Fleet Saluting The State Barge

Jan Van de Cappelle was one of the most famous painters who aptly captured the essence of marine travel and the vivid emotions associated with it in his works. He did not paint harsh seas or cloudless skies but showed vessels and clouds over the horizon.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, marine travel or seafaring gained prominence, and many seemed to make great fortunes through it. It also modelled communities and newly emerging nation-states. Also, many cultural exchanges between people and diverse religious and ethnic groups were made possible by sea voyages of exploration. 

Dutch painter Cappelle was known for his seascapes or river views with many ships in sight. In this particular work, we can see a row of vessels anchored while two yachts fire a salute for the sailors or officials sailing by in a state-owned barge. The water is calm and almost crystal-clear as it reflects the passengers’ and the vessel’s image. 

The 1650 painting depicting some ships anchored in port, saluting a vessel going on its voyage, depicts how popular sea travel had become, for many reasons, in this case for the Dutch Empire.

7. Seascape in the Morning

The painting was executed by Simon de Vlieger sometime around 1640-45. Born in Rotterdam in 1601, Vlieger’s ‘Seascape in the morning’ tells the story of deliverance after travail. The artist portrays this through the hues of the sky.

On the right of the painting, the sky is dark, and one can see a sailor or seaman on a damaged boat. A fire can be seen, a boat rowing to the shore and some vessels are waiting in the distance. A figure of a man is standing; whether for thanksgiving or deliverance, that is unknown.

In the middle is a large ship heading towards the horizon and other vessels seem like ghostly apparitions the closer they get to the horizon.

The horizon is portrayed as kind, evident from the white light that comes down from the clouds. It is morning, and it seems the ships have survived a tumultuous sea at night and survived.

Many look at it with great optimism, as if it were a religious painting. It beautifully portrays human sufferings in this world, trials and tribulations and the hope for heaven.

8. Dutch Men-O’-War and Other Shipping in a Calm

Willem van de Velde II was a Dutch painter admired for his marine paintings, executed in the 17th century. It was a time when vessels marked the height of humankind’s technological breakthroughs, and naval fleets were an intrinsic part of a nation’s military prowess. 

His ‘Dutch Men-O’-War and Other Shipping in a Calm’ was painted in 1665 and portrayed the Dutch navy’s enormous fleet of naval ships, including the much feared and dreaded Men-O’-war vessels. 

They were known as floating fortresses laden with weapons and could overtake enemy ships, coastal forts, settlements, and cities in no time.

The painting shows many of these ships, laden with captains and crews, portraying the naval power of the Dutch.

Although the term ‘Men-O-War never acquired a specific meaning, it was used for a vessel with cannons and usually sails, as opposed to a galley with oars.

9. The Slave Ship

One of J.M.W Turner’s most recognised and acclaimed works, ‘The Slave Ship’ is a beautiful yet deeply saddening work depicting the harsh realities of the time. At a glance, the painting seems ordinary, showing a seafaring ship caught in a storm. Its thin masts indicate that the vessel could sink at any time, while the red and black used for the sky convey the sense of foreboding and demise.

It is an unfortunate vessel, and the scene depicted in the painting is hear-wrenching. One of the slave men has a manacled ankle, and looking at the work, one can gauge that the victims onboard the vessels are slaves trapped in a sinking ship. While the scene is blurred, Turner uses strong and bright colours and sharp brushstrokes to portray the feelings behind the painting.

Such happenings were not uncommon. During those times, ships sailing with slaves were sometimes deliberately sunk in case disease spread among the slaves. While it is cruelty at its peak, such incidents reflected the norms of those times.

Turner took inspiration from events like the Zhong Massacre, wherein the crew of the slave ship threw 54 female slaves and several children from the portholes, along with many protestors.

10. Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saints-Maries

The enchanting ‘Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saints-Maries’ is one of the many paintings made by Van Gogh in 1888, when he travelled to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea. During those times, Saintes-Maries was a fishing village inhabited by less than 100 families.

He used a reed pen to make the boats, and his strokes and technique highlight the influence of Japanese prints on him. The seaside scene captures the everyday life of the people living in the region, and the painting depicts harmony and balance. Although he was ill, the seascapes painted by him were like a ray of hope to enjoy the things he loved before he passed away.

He made use of a palette knife to apply colours. The white and blue regions of the sea are superimposed with green and blue to make waves. This gives it a realistic look and makes it look surreal and charming. 

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About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

Read More Articles By This Author >

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10 Most Famous Ocean Paintings

The Ocean covers almost three-quarters of the Earth’s surface and has long been a central focus and source of inspiration for many of the most famous painters throughout history.

The ocean, like any other creature of a person, seems to have its own personality with characteristics like anger, excitement, calamity, gentleness, and other qualities.

Many great artists have sought to portray the ocean and how it interacts with the many different actions and decisions of mankind.

Capturing the sea in all it’s individualistic glory is a tall task for many painters, but the most skilled have found ways to portray the sea and it’s lofty waves in a manner which adds as much intrigue and amazement as any social dynamic that can be imagined by a playwright or other creative artist.

Painting the ocean has presented many different challenges in its own right. Some artists have found it most challenging to depict the calm, still water and its reflective properties while others have sought to show the sea in all its raging glory with giant, dangerous waves and boisterous winds.

Regardless of how the sea is portrayed, there is a significant level of mastery in being able to accurately depict the ocean in its many different forms. Here are 10 of the most famous ocean paintings ever done.

Famous Ocean Paintings

1. the great wave – katsushika hokusai.

Painted in 1831, Katsushika Hokusai’s work titled The Wave was one that quickly garnered significant attention throughout the world despite Japan being under a strict period of isolation from much of the world.

This painting is also known as The Great Wave off Kanagawa and focuses completely on the unpredictable and often raging seas near Japan’s famous Mount Fuji.

Hokusai painted this work as a series of scenes he labeled Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. This particular painting was the most famous as it depicted the ocean near Mount Fuji in all its famously unpredictable anger, which filled many sailors with an extreme sense of trepidation at having to sail near this area.

Hokusai chose to paint the work in a gripping blue coloration that mostly features the giant, roaring waves rising and crashing. Mount Fuji is actually visible in the crest of the largest wave as a small, distant landscape that can barely be distinguished from the rest of the ocean’s waves.

The mountain has a strange resemblance to the ocean waves in color, it’s snow-capped peak appearing much like the crest of the waves in the sea.

The artist also includes ships that are also dwarfed by the huge waves around them. The vessel that is in the center of the painting appears to be on the verge of being swallowed by an incoming rogue wave.

2. The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her last Berth to be Broken Up – J.M.W Turner

One of England’s most famous paintings is The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her last Berth to be Broken Up by J.M.W Turner. This work depicts a point in time when sailed ships had begun to be rendered obsolete by steam and other powered ships that were able to cover distances faster and more efficiently.

Turner saw the fading beauty in this once-might warship’s final passage and painted a scene that lingers in the minds of many British art enthusiasts.

The old warship was known to have played a major role in the Battle of Trafalgar, which was a significant military encounter between the French and British naval forces during the Napoleanic Wars.

Also Read: Famous Ship Paintings

Turner paints the ship as being towed by a single, blackened tugboat as it is being dragged out to a scrapyard to be broken up and parted out.

The artist captures the symbolism of this warship in its former glory being overtaken by the newer, less attractive ship.

The stately HMS Temeraire is much larger than the tugboat and rises from the sea in an elegant manner that seems to fade into the misty background.

3. The Ninth Wave – Ivan Aivazovsky

Few paintings have been able to capture the sheer realism of the ocean’s waves and their majestic variable forms that intertwine with the rising and setting sun.

Ivan Aivazovsky was one such artist who managed in 1850 to accurately portray the special beauty of the sea as three castaway sailors struggle to stay abreast of the raging waters.

Aivazovsky is well-known as an accomplished seascape painter and this work, titled The Ninth Wave, is widely considered to be his best.

The title is a reference to an old saying that many sailors believed to be factual that the largest wave would come after a succession of incrementally larger waves, in this case, the ninth.

The painting captures the rare splendor of the sun as it meets the horizon and plays along the ocean’s ever-changing surface. The work portrays the dual nature of the sea as both a beautiful sight to behold, and a destructive force of nature.

4. The Gulf Stream – Winslow Homer

Winslow Homer’s painting titled The Gulf Stream is one that accurately shows the picturesque, yet terrifying nature of sea voyages. The painting, completed in 1899, depicts a single man inside a rudderless boat as it drifts along the ocean current amidst a swarm of hungry sharks.

The painting is a grim reminder that life at sea has a considerable level of risk, at any point, but many art critics and enthusiasts have long praised this work for its level of symbolism and detail.

The man in the boat is undoubtedly riding along the Gulf Stream, which is a strong Atlantic current that many sailors credited for bringing ships to and from certain parts of the Caribbean.

With only a few stalks of sugarcane to sustain him, the man appears to be hopelessly lost, unaware of the schooner sailing miles away in the distance to the left of the painting.

5. Impression, Sunrise – Claude Monet

Claude Monet was famous for his ability to paint scenes in a manner that highlighted the many different colors and hues that made up the natural world.

His work titled Impression, Sunrise was done in the classic impressionist style that he was so often known for. This particular painting was first exhibited in 1874 and shows a serene depiction of a harbor at Le Havre.

Monet’s work garnered much attention for his subtle changes and uses of soft coloration to portray the first glint of light shining in the morning sun.

Rather than the large boats being the central focus of the painting, the smaller vessels are shown as being propelled by a single oar over the sparkling water.

6. The Monk by the Sea – Caspar David Friedrich

Many times, the ocean appears to blend into the sky and the horizon is disguised by clouds or fog. Caspar David Friedrich’s painting titled The Monk by the Sea is a beautiful depiction of an ocean-side scene that emphasizes the vastness of both nature and God.

This work was painted sometime between 1808 and 1810 and is known as one of the most famous German works from the time period.

Also Read: Famous Beach Paintings

The painting shows a lone monk standing along the sea shore, looking out into the seemingly endless ocean waves before him. The sky takes up most of the canvas while only a small sliver of the land and sea below are visible.

This is thought to indicate the unimaginable nature of the almighty despite our small, finite minds.

7. The Raft of the Medusa – Theodore Gericault

One of the most well-known French seascape paintings is Theodore Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa, which was done in 1819. It is one of the most iconic French Romanticism paintings in history and is based on a famous shipwreck that happened off the coast of Senegal in 1816.

The artist heavily researched the incident before putting brush to canvas and took a considerable amount of time thinking about just how he would portray the grim reality of being lost at sea.

Drawing inspiration from two survivors of the shipwreck, Géricault painted a scene that captured a more hopeful outlook than what is actually recorded of the incident.

The surviving sailors of the French Royal Navy frigate told of fighting among the survivors and being forced to resort to cannibalism in the end. This painting centers on the hopeful, yet desperate nature of being stuck at sea.

8. Becalmed off Halfway Rock – Fitz Hugh Lane

Painting the sea’s unique reflective nature is often considered one of the most difficult aspects of seascapes that many artists struggle to accurately portray.

No artist captured this characteristic more strikingly than Fitz Hugh Lane in his 1860 work titled Becalmed off Halfway Rock.

Also Read: Lighthouse Paintings

This painting depicts a scene from the New England coast sometime around the 1840’s. Sailors from that time were well-acquainted with a large rock formation that jutted out of the sea nearly halfway between Boston and Cape Ann.

This painting depicts ships lingering near the rock in a calm, almost inviting scene that features a number of warm colors.

9. La Terrace de Sainte Adresse – Claude Monet

Claude Monet is known to have spent a considerable amount of time near Le Havre, a port city in France that’s known for its bustling shipping scene that often features a wide array of vessels coming and going.

The artist famously portrayed this coastal landmark in his painting titled La Terrace de Sainte Adresse in 1867.

This painting is praised by art lovers and critics for Monet’s masterful ability to capture the bright sunlight as it illuminates the vast expanse of the ocean waters near Le Havre.

The distant horizon is dotted with a variety of sailing vessels and others that were powered by more modern means during the mid 1800’s.

Monet’s ability to include vibrant, lush greenery along with the deep ocean blue is part of what makes this painting so remarkably famous, especially to those who adore French artwork .

10. Snow Storm – Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth – J.M.W Turner

Storms are one of the most feared aspects of an oceanic voyage, but they were an inescapable reality for sailors in 1824. J.M.W. Turner painted his work titled Snow Storm during that year and managed to portray the strangely beautiful, yet violent nature of storms on the open ocean.

The painting depicts the swirling winds churning the sea into a choppy nightmare for sailors who had to endure such terrifying realities.

As with most of his oil paintings it uses only the slightest of textures raised from the canvas to give a real depth to the crashing ocean.

This abstract work largely invokes a sense of the overwhelming force that often accompanies storms at sea.

Ship Paintings to Know!

Famous ship paintings, nautical paintings commemorate the incredible vessels that once sailed the seas, as well as more subdued sailboat paintings. part of what inspires the adoration of so many art lovers and aficionados, especially in coastal areas, is the contrast between brilliant man-made ships and the unpredictability and dangers of the ocean and mother nature herself., the storm on the sea of galilee (1633) by rembrandt, the home fleet saluting the state barge (1650) by jan van de cappelle, nelson’s inshore blockading squadron at cadiz (1797) by thomas buttersworth, battle of trafalgar (1805) by louis philippe crepin, a first rate man-of-war driven onto a reef of rocks, floundering in a gale (1826) by george philip reinagle, the fighting temeraire (1839) by j. m. w. turner, becalmed off halfway rock (1860) by fitz hugh lane, red boats, argenteuil (1875) by claude monet, breezing up (a fair wind) (1876) by winslow homer, fishing boats on the beach at saintes-maries (1888) by vincent van gogh, read our full article about ship paintings here.

All About Sailing in Painting

Magda Michalska 26 August 2022 min Read

Claude Monet, Regatta at Sainte-Adresse , The Metropolitan Museum, New York, NY, USA. Detail.

Recommended

Masterpiece Story: Sailboats by Lyonel Feninger

European Art

Masterpiece Story: Seascape Near Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer by Van Gogh

Art Travels

Seven Luminist Seascapes to Make You Want a Beach Vacation

I’ve sailed only once or twice in my whole life but I can still remember the empowering feeling of liberation that I felt when on the water. Sailing and sailboats have been a common topic taken up by many artists across decades and countries in painting. Let’s sail with them, bon voyage!

1. On Board with Friedrich

Has this scene filled with light surprised you? Well, in the end, Friedrich is associated more with grey tones and lonely travelers…

2. Renoir’s Sailboats

Some people say that Renoir didn’t know how to paint . Well, I think that works like this one defy this argument, don’t you think?

3. Sea Trip with Courbet

Gustave Courbet might be well-known for his provocative works like the Origin of the world , but in fact, he was a great landscape painter who loved depicting water and rocks.

4. Twatchman’s Sunny Vibes

When days get too sunny article features another work by J.H. Twatchman . Have a read!

5. Kandinsky’s Folk Sail

This woodblock print by Wassily Kandinsky is inspired by folk art from his native Russian Empire.

6. Sail like a Fauve with Vlaminck

Maurice de Vlaminck was a member of the Fauves together with Henri Matisse and André Derain.

7. Provocative Trips with Kokoschka

This woodblock print was part of the printed book for children that Oskar Kokoschka made. Yet, it turned out to be very provocative… Why? Read here .

8. Dufy’s Coast City

Raoul Dufy was yet another Fauvist and I feel there is going to be an article about him one day here!

9. Abstract Sails by Klee

Paul Klee liked studying the shapes of well-known objects and natural phenomena.

Lichtenstein’s Sea Impasto

Lichtenstein and landscapes? Might seem surprising but he was actually a way more comprehensive artist than we think…

• Caspar David Friedrich
• Claude Monet
• Gustave Courbet
• John Henry Twachtman
• Maurice de Vlaminck
• Oskar Kokoschka
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Roy Lichtenstein
• Wassily Kandinsky

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DailyArt Magazine needs your support. Every contribution, however big or small, is very valuable for our future. Thanks to it, we will be able to sustain and grow the Magazine. Thank you for your help!

Magda Michalska

Magda, art historian and Italianist, she writes about art because she cannot make it herself. She loves committed and political artists like Ai Weiwei or the Futurists; like Joseph Beuys she believes that art can change us and we can change the world.

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Who are the most Famous Artists that Painted Ships at Sea?

The era when the painting of ships at sea reached its height was during the early 1800s. During that period, most painters, some or other time, also created maritime art. Maritime art depicts ships and the sea. Human involvement usually forms an integral part of a maritime painting.

It is accepted between art lovers and scholars that ocean scene paintings, especially ship paintings, are capable of evoking strong emotions. As a result, art collectors often have one or more maritime works in their collections.

To give an overview of maritime art, we’ve selected seven famous artists that painted ships at sea. Two of them lived and worked before the 1800s and one in the late 1800s, early 1900s. The other four are from the early to mid-1800s – the height of the ship painting era.

George Philip Reinagle (1802-1835)

One of the most well-known maritime painters of the early 1800s who created many famous ocean paintings was the English painter George Philip Reinagle. He started his career by copying the works of the Dutch painters Ludolf Backhuysen and Willem van de Velde. Later he became known for his ability to capture the essence of the sea’s character that destroyed so many powerful vessels.

In 1824 he exhibited the painting “Ship in a Storm firing a Signal of Distress”, and in 1825, he showed “Calm” and “A Dutch Fleet at the Seventeenth Century coming to Anchor in a Breeze”. They are all still today admired and appreciated by art lovers. His most known ship painting is possibly his 1836-work titled “A First-Rate Man-of-War Driven Onto a Reef of Rocks, Floundering in a Gale”.

Fitz Hugh Lane (1804-1865)

Fitz Henry Lane was an American painter well-known for his maritime paintings. In his beautiful paintings of ships at sea , he pays incredible attention to detail. As most paintings of ships always feature vessels in battle or struggling against the elements out at sea, Lane is seen as the one painter that has also brought the beauty of calm seas and the effect of calmness on a vessel to the canvas.

His 1860-painting “Halfway Rock” depicts a calm sea environment with several ships anchored down with small rowboats going from one to another.

M. W. Turner (1775-1851)

Joseph Mallord William Turner was an English painter known in his time as William Turner. He is deemed one of the best early painters of ships at sea. Turner is known for his expressive colorizations and turbulent, often violent, marine paintings.

Turner’s most famous ship painting is “The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her Last Berth to be Broken Up”. It is a painting about a famous warship that was the star of at least one battle in the 18th century. He painted this scene in 1839 and depicted the final “sea-moments” of the Temeraire as it was tugged out to sea to be destroyed.

Another famous ship painting by Turner is “Snow Storm – Steam-Boat off a Harbor’s Mouth”. This painting depicts the sea’s ability to make even a large vessel feel the power of its might from time to time. The painting features a steamboat caught in a frigid snowstorm.

Louis Phillipe Crepin (1772-1851)

Louis-Philippe Crépin was a French marine painter. In 1830 he was appointed as one of France’s first two Peintres de la Marine. “Peintre de la Marine” is awarded by the French government (the minister of defense) to incredible artists who have dedicated their talents to the sea, naval ships, and other maritime subjects.

At the age of fifty-eight, he was appointed one of the French government’s first two official marine painters. Crepin’s paintings are known for their incredible accuracy, and many art lovers and scholars see him as one of the best painters of ships ever.

One of his most famous paintings is “Battle of Trafalgar”. Like many of his other ship paintings, this painting depicts a ship that has been involved in a deadly battle at sea. However, the “Battle of Trafalgar” shows the British Royal Navy’s opposition to two opponents – the Spanish and French naval forces.

Willem van de Velde II (1633- 1707)

Willem van de Velde II was a Dutch painter who specialized in maritime art during his career in the late 1600s. This was when sailing ships were the height of humankind’s technological achievements. Naval fleets were the most vital part of any military force. Most of Van de Velde’s finest works depict Dutch ships off the coast of Holland.

Velde’s 1665-work titled “Dutch Men-O’-War and Other Shipping in a Calm” features the Dutch navy’s vast fleet of ships, including the deadly and feared Men-O’-War vessels.

Jan van de Cappelle (1624-1679)

In the mid-1600s, maritime travel was responsible for reshaping the people and nations of the world because many pilgrims and travelers ventured to the New World. In Holland, the Dutch painter Jan van de Cappelle is considered an outstanding marine painter of the 17th century. Most of his works are marine or river views with several vessels.

He captured one example of this period in his 1650-work titled “The Home Fleet Saluting the State Barge.” The painting depicts some different ships gathered together in a port, saluting a vessel embarking on its voyage.

He was not interested in rough seas or cloudless skies. His paintings usually show ships and enormous cloudy skies mirrored in the dead calm sea.

Winslow Homer (1836-1910)

Winslow Homer was another American artist that was well-known for his maritime paintings. His works are known for their masterful depiction of light and dark, along with the colors and how sunlight brings out the depth in the different hues.

His famous ship oil painting of 1876 is titled “Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)” and depicts a detailed scene of a small sailboat with men and boys cruising along on the waves. It is one of the most famous boat paintings today.

The painting shows what a typical scene in late 19th century America was. Sailing was one of the most famous means of travel along the coast.

The Bottom Line

Although the 1800s are seen as the height of maritime art, many artworks from that era are still seen as masterpieces. And the artists who’ve created the paintings are still famous today. Perhaps this is because, for some reason, other ocean paintings, especially paintings of ships, are capable of evoking strong emotions.

• Painted Ships at Sea

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