Deck of Ship in Moonlight 1876

John Singer Sargent made this watercolor painting, "Deck of Ship in Moonlight," using a range of techniques to bring us onto the ship. Notice the ways that Sargent contrasts areas of precise detail—look at the rigging of the ship, or the planks of the deck—with the almost blurry strokes of the sky. The precision of the one brings into focus the blurring of the other. Sargent likely laid the paper flat, and worked quickly, applying washes of pigment and allowing them to bleed. The effect is to conjure the experience of being on the ship. Not only the sight, but the smell of salt air, the sound of the waves, the constant motion. In the 19th century, ships were more than just a mode of transport. They were sites of intense labor, places of danger, and also adventure. Sargent’s technical mastery invites us to imagine it all. By engaging with the image, and reflecting on how it was made, we gain insight into maritime history and labor.