At night. Blue wave 1876

Ivan Aivazovsky's "At night. Blue wave" is an oil painting, a medium that allows for the layering and blending of color to capture the tumultuous sea. Aivazovsky, renowned for his seascapes, demonstrates exceptional skill in rendering the sea's texture and light. Look at the thick impasto of the wave crests, contrasting with the smoother, translucent depths. The artist coaxes the material properties of oil paint to evoke the sublime power of nature. The ship, though small in the composition, speaks to human endeavor and vulnerability in the face of this force. Paintings like these were important to the Russian state, projecting an image of maritime power. And the labor involved in seafaring—both in trade and war—is also subtly present. Aivazovsky, through his mastery of paint, asks us to consider our relationship with the natural world, and the human activities played out upon it.