Scenes of the Sea

For centuries, the American coastline has provided artistic inspiration as well as a retreat for painters. Whether working en plein aire, instructing students, or spending time with their families, many American artists used their time by the ocean to recapture their creative muse.

In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as industrialization reshaped the American landscape, its coastal regions offered respite, as well as opportunity to explore new subject matter. Artists were drawn to the shore’s dramatic beauty and light, and the dynamic, tumultuous ocean. Artists in this intimate exhibit include George Bellows, Ture Bengtz, Albert Bierstadt, Jasper Cropsey, J.J. Enneking, Childe Hassam, Charles Woodbury and more.