Seascape, water landscape paintings

Landscapes with water, seascape, marina

Landscapes with water are found in the artworks of most landscape painters. This type of painting includes seascapes - ships in the ocean, storm, calm, landscapes with a forest lake or a wide river, a modest rill or a quiet river creek. Water, one of the four elements, has always attracted to itself by its energy, fascinated by the depth, seduced by mobility. The water surface promotes bright emotions and improves the mood.

To paint interesting seascape painting, the artist must have a vivid imagination and certain level of skill. It is not easy to paint the sea on the canvas, which may be gentle or nasty, calm or formidable, the sun rays playing in the water, the movement of waves. The painter must represent the entire composition and every detail of it. And then the seascape will be a worthy decoration of the gallery, museum, private collection. For example, a wonderful marine painter, I. Aivazovskyi all his life remained faithful to one topic, one motif – the seascape. His artworks are in museums of different cities, and there are always people admiring his paintings. Our gallery has an wonderful selection of seascape paintings by Ukrainian artists.

Interesting are seascape paintings with modern ships, with sailboats, calm harbor or major port. Bright and appealing are the Mediterranean landscape paintings. Lovely southern nature and joyful sun glare remind of unforgettable days of vacation spent at the Mediterranean Sea. They have become very popular.

Historical development of the seascape genre

The artworks of XIV century clearly show how differently people saw water paintings. For example, one of the founders Jan Porcellis made waves the main details of the painting. Cornelis Hendriks Vrom often painted real naval battles, one of the first to add historical motifs to the seascape, while the rest preferred mythical themes.

Holland artists endowed water with different meanings – it could personify the raging feelings or calm. Some creative people added religious topics that were widespread everywhere. After the Dutch, marina began to develop actively. However, many artists worked in this genre, simultaneously adding it to the landscape. Combining was a good idea. Perhaps the most famous artist combining two types was Albert Cuyp, a master at transmitting moonlight at night on water.

The English branch developed under the influence of the Dutch. For example, the Englishman William Turner admitted: the engraving by Van de Velde inspired him to become an artist, later he began to paint the sea in paintings, endowed with a special meaning – the confrontation between man and nature. William Turner's painting «Sunrise Through the Fog» depicts ships at sea, fishermen peeling the catch. A very rich pictorial artwork, drawn to the smallest detail. The artwork of this artist «The Stormy Sea» is also impressive, where the oil painting stormy sea with high waves is at the head of the plot. Today, William Turner is recognized as one of the most outstanding masters in the history of the genre.

With the advent of a new style – impressionism – the theme of the sea and marine painting develops even more. Delacroix created an extraordinary technique, which seemed to «enliven» the image, now the waves «vibrate» on the canvases of talented marine painters, till now remaining the favorite theme of contemporary artists.

It is worth noting: the theme of the pictures of the sea is much wider than it seems. For example, the Venetian branch of artists often depicts Venice, washed by the sea, leaving Venice as the central figure. Famous masters who were fond of such a style – Canaletto, Guardi. Claude Lorren was fond of portraits, mythical scenarios, but he is still considered a marine painter, since water is an integral part of his paintings.

The sea was extolled, rather, by romantics than classicists, because it is almost impossible to find something more sensual, romantic than the boundless water surface. The painting is ideal for embodying the intensity of emotions, a storm of feelings, or, conversely, a cozy calm. The sea allows portraying the ultimate state, which is why it attracts romantics.

Different types of paintings of the sea by Ukrainian artists

No less interesting than the sea views are other landscapes with water. The surface of the lake in the forest, reflecting every tree and bush, boat buried in coastal sand, a pair of swans swimming toward reed – such and similar landscapes with the lake find their admirers.

In addition, there are painting lovers who prefer a landscape with a river. Often such artworks are filled with serenity and peace. You want to look and look at them, absorbing serenity, the calm colors seem to convey the complete silence of the imprinted corner of nature. But the river landscape can depict a noisy mountain river, shallow, fast, at the bottom of which all the stones are visible, and here is a different energy. This landscape will attract the attention of other art lovers.

When working on water landscapes, Ukrainian artists use both oil and watercolor, pastel. You can buy water landscape arworks by contemporary artists, in our gallery KyivGallery. These arworks are very relevant and attractive, the water element attracts to itself, therefore its images are so interesting, especially for art lovers.