Treasures of the Sea c. 1870 - 1875

Curator: This painting, “Treasures of the Sea,” was created by Hans Makart circa 1870 to 1875. Editor: It’s such a vibrant, overwhelming scene. It's crowded, figures tumbling over one another… it gives me a feeling of almost frantic energy. Curator: Makart, known for his opulent style, clearly put his emphasis on lavish presentation. He achieved these kinds of dramatic compositions through the intense labor of assistants who helped produce his large-scale works. Looking closely at the layers upon layers of oil paint, you can almost envision the workshop buzzing with activity. Editor: Yes, that frantic energy. It all centers, doesn’t it, around the idea of 'treasure' and all of the implied iconography with the nude forms alluding to Venus and themes of love, birth, sexuality, fertility… Look at the shells, for instance, they can be read as feminine symbols, while the overall gathering feels celebratory. It suggests both earthly and mythological rewards, a real abundance. Curator: And speaking of earthly rewards, we need to recognize the social context of Makart’s popularity. His studio became a key cultural hub in Vienna. Aristocrats, intellectuals, artists—they all flocked to it to soak up this atmosphere. We could view the painting's very excess as catering to that clientele’s expectations and material desires, an aesthetic of ‘more is more’ fueled by wealth and demand. Editor: Absolutely, though I think that abundance has symbolic meaning beyond materialism. Look how light dances across the bodies—a celebration of life itself, connected with water, nature's bounty and even erotic undertones. And that classical-influenced rendering enhances it with references to myths of the sea. Neptune even is depicted! Makart intertwines sensuality and classical allusion… Curator: I would just reiterate how that sensuality and opulence was certainly packaged, crafted, and distributed as a very desirable commodity back then. But yes, these themes still give us plenty to contemplate about our own value systems even today. Editor: Indeed, the sea and its symbolism continue to inspire awe and spark questions about value across cultures.