Eftermiddag på havet 1859 - 1906

Andreas Riis Carstensen captured this vision of "Eftermiddag på havet" - Afternoon at Sea - using oil on canvas. Carstensen’s brushstrokes build texture that mimics the choppy surface of the water, and the soft, brushed clouds in the sky. This wasn't exactly radical. The painting is rooted in the traditions of landscape art, where skill is evidenced by creating convincing illusions of natural effects. But remember that in Carstensen’s time, the sea was also a site of intense commerce and labor. From fishing to shipping, the ocean was a workplace. The dark palette here, combined with the dynamic brushwork, hints at the power of the ocean, and perhaps the vulnerability of those who depended on it for their livelihoods. Considering the conditions of labor and the social context in which an artwork is made helps us to appreciate the artistic skill and the ways that art reflects the world around it.