Nattlig marin med brinnande fartyg 

What are your first thoughts when viewing this painting by the Swedish artist Marcus Larson. ‘Night Sea with Burning Ship’ is an oil painting created in 1860. It depicts a dramatic seascape complete with a shipwreck in a storm. The burning ship is bowed to one side, moments before it will be engulfed by the waves and slammed into the surrounding rocks. Smoke billows from the flames on the main deck. In the distance, a lighthouse emits a menacing red glow. A lone seagull swoops as if watching down on the unfolding disaster. ️ Larson (1825-1864) is recognised as one of the greatest Swedish landscape painters of the nineteenth century. He is known for his intense maritime scenes which often display an intense use of light and shadow. In this painting, the fiery glow of the burning vessel contrasts with the gloomy shades of the clouds. The dark sky seems heavy and foreboding – the tone is both threatening and frightening. Red popularly symbolises danger – we at once understand the impending doom of this scene. This is further suggested by the rocks which seem to encircle the ship. Larson has used sharp, jagged shapes to create an impression of violence and threat. There’s no escape or hope of salvation. ️ By choosing to locate this scene during the height of a storm, Larson makes use of ‘pathetic fallacy’. This term, coined by the Victorian art critic John Ruskin, refers to representations of the non-human world using human emotions. In this painting, the sea and sky seem actively hostile and aggressive. ‘Night Sea with Burning Ship’ emphasises the awe-inspiring power and unpredictability of nature. It acts as a reminder of human fragility and our helplessness in the face of the natural world. The canvas is huge in scale at 112 x 156 centimetres. Just imagine standing in front of this painting!