Marine art shows maritime activities, oceans, the shore, ports, and vessels. It includes paintings and other kinds of artwork: needlework, decorative painting on furniture or other items, and carvings.
Most marine paintings show vessels underway or working. To appreciate a marine painting, think about its elements and take a close look.
- What ship is it?
- Where is it?
- What is it doing?
- What is its means of propulsion?
- How many masts and what kind of sails does it have?
- How do the sea, wind, and sky look?
- What coastal landmarks may be identified?
Want to find out more? In the “Peek into Paintings” series on YouTube, PMM staff take close looks at marine art in our collection.
Marine paintings fall into four basic categories: seascapes, harbor and inshore scenes, naval scenes, and ship portraits.