Rocks and Breaking Waves c. 1870s

William Trost Richards created this watercolor, "Rocks and Breaking Waves". The dominant symbols here are, of course, the rocks and the sea, ancient motifs laden with meaning. The sea, often a symbol of the subconscious, evokes the depths of human emotion and the mysteries of the unknown. Breaking waves, like those seen here, crash against the rocks, signifying the eternal conflict between chaos and order, the fleeting and the permanent. We see these elements echoed in ancient Greek myths, where the sea is both the source of life and a dangerous, unpredictable force, and in countless other cultures where water represents both destruction and cleansing. The rocks, steadfast against the crashing waves, also remind us of mortality and the relentless passage of time. Notice how Richards captures the light as it reflects off the water, a play of luminosity that seems to probe the depths of our own fleeting existence. This is not merely a seascape; it’s a reflection on the very nature of being.