Nec mergitur 1905

Ferdynand Ruszczyc made this painting called "Nec mergitur" with oil paint and, goodness, it looks like he was having a time of it. I love the way he’s just letting it all hang out with these bold strokes and colours that just clash against each other to create a feeling of unease. It gives the impression that the ship is sailing through a storm of emotions. The waves down below are alive and writhing like big snakes, and the way the light hits them makes them pop right out at you, like the artist is trying to trap you inside the painting. There’s this one spot in particular where the white foam is mixed with this acid yellow, almost like the sea is on fire. This relates to the feeling that the piece as a whole generates, that feeling of danger and exhilaration. Ruszczyc shares an interest in the sublime with painters such as Turner, yet he is more invested in the interior world. "Nec mergitur" feels deeply personal, even confessional.