Artwork
Seascape Fantasy
Seascape Fantasy is an oil painting. It dates from 1785 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1972.263.2
- Credit line
- Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1972
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As an example of eighteenth-century marine art, the composition centers on the vessels themselves, capturing their presence within the seascape.
Seascape Fantasy is a marine genre work that depicts a ship and a boat navigating the ocean. Created in 1785, the anonymous painting focuses on nautical subjects, presenting a scene defined by maritime activity rather than specific mythological or allegorical narratives. As an example of eighteenth-century marine art, the composition centers on the vessels themselves, capturing their presence within the seascape.
The work represents the broader tradition of maritime painting, emphasizing the relationship between man-made vessels and the sea. No specific symbolic figures or complex iconographic programs are identified in the available records; the meaning of the piece is derived primarily from its classification as a depiction of ships and boats within a marine setting.
Technique & Style
Seascape Fantasy is executed in oil paint on a wood panel, a support format well suited to the modest dimensions of the work, which measure 43.7 by 89.4 centimeters in its horizontal orientation. The narrow, elongated panel proportions are characteristic of marine subjects, allowing the artist to extend the horizon line and accommodate the depiction of boats and ships across the picture plane. The painting falls within the marine genre tradition, and its handling on a rigid wooden support rather than canvas reflects common practice for small-scale cabinet pictures of the late eighteenth century. The work is classified within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing holdings.
History & Provenance
Seascape Fantasy is an anonymous marine painting executed in oil on a wood panel, dated 1785 and measuring 43.7 by 89.4 centimeters. It depicts maritime subjects including a ship and a boat and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, classified under The American Wing. The records do not detail a specific commissioning event or a chain of ownership prior to its accession by the museum, nor do they cite any exhibition history; the documentation focuses on the work's physical attributes and current institutional location.
Overview
"Seascape Fantasy" is an oil painting rendered on a small wooden panel, capturing a dramatic marine scene. It depicts two ships navigating a turbulent sea under a stormy sky, conveying the immense power of nature. This work is housed within the American Wing, reflecting a common subject in American art traditions.
Artist & collection
- Seascape
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