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Shells in Seaweed

Mary Altha Nims

1804

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Shells in Seaweed is a 1804 by Mary Altha Nims, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Mary Altha Nims
When & what style?: 1804 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This painting shows a green background filled with shells and seaweed. The shells are different shapes and colors—some are brown with spiral patterns, others are pink with dots, and a few are cut open to reveal their insides. Red starfish lie scattered around, and the seaweed looks wavy and dark green at the bottom. The title *Shells in Seaweed* tells us this is just a simple, pretty scene of ocean life. The artist painted it in the 1800s, when nature was often seen as magical and full of surprises. If you like this, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art for more works like it.