Sea against a rocky shore 1851

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, who lived in 19th century Russia, made this artwork in an unknown year, seemingly with ink on paper. The atmospheric effect here is achieved through subtle gradations of tone, built up with delicate strokes. But consider how this vista is itself a product of global trade. The ship on the horizon – a marvel of 19th century engineering – represents the vast networks of commerce and travel that were expanding across the world. The figures on the rocks, dwarfed by the vastness of the scene, also speak to this tension, between individual experience and the scale of industry. Aivazovsky would have depended on mass-produced paper and ink, commodities available due to the very forces he depicts. The artistic skill on display cannot be divorced from these wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By recognizing these connections, we can appreciate the full depth of this seemingly straightforward seascape.