Seascape off the Isle of Wight 

Albert Julius Olsson created this arresting seascape painting of the Isle of Wight in the late 19th or early 20th century. Olsson was fascinated by the sea, especially its appearance at night, and became well-known as a moonlit painter. In this seascape, the dramatic sky and turbulent sea capture the awesome power of nature. The Isle of Wight, a popular tourist destination, can be seen in the distance. During this period, Britain's naval power was at its height and artists often painted seascapes to celebrate this. However, Olsson's painting is more ambivalent: the tiny ship battling against the elements seems fragile and vulnerable. To fully understand a painting like this, we might look at shipping records and weather reports, in order to appreciate the reality of seafaring. It is through attention to such details that we come to understand the complex relationship between art and society.