Calm on the Mediterranean Sea 1892

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky created this large canvas with oil paints, a material traditionally associated with high art, to depict a still, sunlit seascape. Look closely, and you’ll see Aivazovsky’s labor-intensive layering of pigments. The subtle variations of yellow, orange and pink give the painting a unique atmospheric depth. It is quite an achievement, given the limitations of painting, to convey such subtlety with a brush on canvas. The figures on the beach and the boats at sea offer a snapshot into the labor and social lives that are dependent upon the water. The work is not merely a depiction of the sea, but an engagement with its environmental and economic importance. Aivazovsky’s artistic labor and skill are essential to understanding the significance of this painting, connecting the practices of fine art with the everyday realities of work and trade.