Shipwreck Scene
Maker
Pierre-Jacques Volaire
(French, 1729 - before 1802)
Collections
ClassificationsPAINTINGS
Date1770
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions18 1/2 x 26 3/8 in. (47 x 67 cm.)
DescriptionThis painting depicts the wreckage of a ship during a storm at night.
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Purchased with funds from the Art Collectors' Council in memory of John Sturgeon
Label TextThese paintings (2014.17.1 and 2014.17.2), created as a pair, play off of one another through balance and contrast. In "View of Naples," the juxtaposition of cool moonlight and warm fire allows the chilly sea to provoke a sense of distant wonder while the sheltered bonfire draws us to its intimate protection. In "Scene of a Shipwreck," the artist underscores the dramatic terror of the event by contrasting the blast of lightening from the angry storm with its pitiable victims. Volaire spent many years in Naples, attracted to the beauty of the bay and drama of Vesuvius, whose eruptions created widespread awe and fascination.
Status
On viewObject number2014.17.1
