In the Sea
1883
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1883
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
Dominant colour
In the Sea is a 1883 oil by Arnold Böcklin, a Impressionism work, held at Art Institute of Chicago.
You see three mermaids and a merman tangled in green waves, their bodies half-fish, half-human. One mermaid plucks a harp while the others laugh or stare into the distance. Böcklin painted myths his own way—no pretty gods, just rough, earthy creatures who look like they’ve been swimming forever. The water isn’t sparkly; it’s thick and alive, almost like wet clay. If you like this mix of myth and grit, look up *impasto*—the way Böcklin slathered paint to make the waves feel real.
