The Shipwreck
1880
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1880
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Shipwreck is a 1880 gouache by Elihu Vedder, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows two small boats in rough water. One boat is sinking, with people clinging to it, while the other is already overturned nearby. The waves are choppy and dark, and the sky looks stormy, with quick, loose brushstrokes. The artist used a mix of charcoal, watercolor, and gouache on textured blue paper, which gives the scene a gritty, urgent feel. The colors are mostly muted except for the whitecaps, which stand out against the darker tones. Look up watercolor next to see how artists use thin layers of paint to build up light and shadow.
