Breaking Waves at Daio Misaki 1932

Fujishima Takeji made this painting of Breaking Waves, probably with oil on canvas. I wonder how long he spent watching the waves, noticing how the sun hits the water? He’s got these thick strokes for the cliff face, really sculptural and solid, like he’s building it up right there on the canvas. Then you look at the waves, and they're all motion and froth, rendered with these light, broken strokes. I can almost feel the spray on my face, like a moment of clarity amidst the earth’s raw energy. There’s a quietness to the color palette, a balance between the cool blues of the water and the warm tones of the sky. It makes me think about Turner, and how artists keep returning to the sea, trying to capture something of its vastness. Painting is like that, it keeps on building upon the past, shifting and evolving as each artist brings their own perspective.