Contemporary maritime art can be read as a metaphor for the human condition; though some artists share a connection with the 19th-century’s celebration of the adventures of the sea, writes Peter Murray.
With ready access to an extensive and varied coastline, artists in Ireland are well-placed to incorporate elements of the sea, and of maritime traffic, in their art. In general, maritime paintings in Ireland emphasize shipping seen in the context of coastline and harbour, rather than pure sea views, with vessels depicted surrounded by ocean and sky.
In the 18th century, paintings of Irish interest were created by Anglo-Dutch maritime artists such as Thomas Luny and Peter Monamy, who for the most part depicted men o’ war, or naval engagements. In the 19th century, George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson and others tended to specialize in ‘ship portraits’, often commissioned by the owners or captains of vessels. In the 20th century, while blue seas and white surf inspired artists such as Nathaniel Hone, Roderic O’Conor, William Leech and John Lavery, these artists cannot be described as maritime painters.
