Seapiece: Off the French Coast
Description:
Various ships are visible in the distance, and one ship in full sail sits directly beyond the coastal waters. Three poles emerge from the sea in the left foreground, indicating the shoreline; the crashing of the water over these wooden pieces and the rolling of the waves give the impression of a strong wind. The sea beneath the ships in the distance is significantly darker than the foamy sea near the shore. A distant coastline with cliffs is visible to the right.
Copyright:
Copyright, 2009, Romantic Circles.
Accession Number:
1982.55.1
Height (in centimeters):
38
Width (in centimeters):
52
Provenance
Baron Henri de Rothschild. John, 1st Baron Astor of Hever [1866-1971], Hever Castle, Kent, by 1951;[1] by descent, through his wife, Lady Violet Nairne [d. 1965], to George, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne [b. 1912];[2] sold 1979 to (Thomas Agnew & Sons, London); purchased February 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia; gift 1982 to NGA. (curatorial notes)Exhibition History
1827Associated Events
During the probable time of the work's execution, Bonington toured Flanders and Belgium (1823), and spent most of 1824 in Dunkirk. However, because the date of completion is not given, it is not clear if he painted the work during this tour or after he had returned to Paris.Associated Places
École des Beaux Arts, ParisAssociated Texts
Bonington's Off the Normandy CoastSubject
Richard Parkes Bonington's Seapiece is an example of Romantic-era depictions of the sea as an unpredictable force. The motion of the waves and the leaning of the smaller vessels help to create this effect.Significance
This picture demonstrates how the sea lends itself to the Romantic fascination with the unseen and a reality beyond the tangible. The leaning of the ships against the wind, the dipping and crashing of the waves close to the viewer, and the fading images of more ships on the horizon all suggest the continuous, infinite presence of the sea and the essence of nature beyond what is visible in the image. In addition, the felt movement of the waves gives the painting life and instills in the viewer a sense of the sea's ever-changing surface.Bibliography
Brook-Hart, Denys. British 19th Century Marine Painting. Suffolk: Baron, 1974. Print.Long Title
Richard Parkes Bonington, British, 1802 – 1828, Seapiece: Off the French Coast, c. 1823/1824, oil on canvas, Overall: 37.7 x 52 cm (14 13/16 x 20 1/2 in.) framed: 51.8 x 65.4 x 5.4 cm (20 3/8 x 25 3/4 x 2 1/8 in.), Paul Mellon Collection, 1982.55.1Featured in Exhibit:
From the Collection:
Painter:
Image Date:
1823