Harbor 1850

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky made this painting, Harbor, with oil on canvas. It is rendered in the style of the Old Masters, yet the subject matter has everything to do with nineteenth century capitalism. Look closely and you'll see the details of maritime life. There are warships, a sailboat, and laborers rowing a boat. It is a scene of commerce, empire, and labor. Aivazovsky's brushwork emphasizes the sea and sky, using delicate glazes of pigment to capture light. This painterly skill, however, is put in service of a very modern image of trade and industry. The painting evokes a sense of romanticism through the medium of oil on canvas, inviting us to consider the skilled labor that went into its creation, alongside the work that made modern life possible. By attending to both, we see how art reflects a broader world of making.