01 Classic Work of Art, Marine Paintings - With Footnotes, #251

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, 1817-1900

Abandoning Ship, c. 1882

Oil on canvas

70 by 110.5cm, 27¾ by 43¼in.

Private collection

While stormy seas, sinking ships and survivors in lifeboats are common themes in Aivazovsky’s work, the absence of horizon and sky in this painting is very unusual. The tightly cropped composition draws the viewer in and increases the drama of the scene, further enhanced by the striking reflection of light on the waves.

The unusual composition is not the result of the canvas having been cut-down at a later stage but was indeed intended by the artist. More on this painting

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (29 July 1817 – 2 May 1900) was a Russian Romantic painter. Aivazovsky was born into an Armenian family in the Black Sea port of Feodosia and was mostly based in his native Crimea.

Following his education at the Imperial Academy of Arts, Aivazovsky traveled to Europe and lived briefly in Italy in the early 1840s. He then returned to Russia and was appointed the main painter of the Russian Navy. Aivazovsky had close ties with the military and political elite of the Russian Empire and often attended military maneuvers. He was sponsored by the state and was well-regarded during his lifetime.

One of the most prominent Russian artists of his time, Aivazovsky was also popular outside Russia. He held numerous solo exhibitions in Europe and the United States. During his almost 60-year career, he created around 6,000 paintings, making him one of the most prolific artists of his time.The vast majority of his works are seascapes, but he often depicted battle scenes, Armenian themes, and portraiture. Most of Aivazovsky's works are kept in Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian museums as well as private collections. More on Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky

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