“The Ninth Wave”
For today, a painting by a Russian master and arguably one of the best marinist painters to date.
“The Ninth Wave” is a breathtaking oil on canvas by the Russian Romantic artist, Ivan Aivazovsky, from 1850. This is a very large painting, about 11×7 feet, which Aivazovsky painted when he was 33 years old.
In this piece, often considered his masterpiece, Aivazovsky depicts the survivors of a shipwreck clinging to debris after a storm. The scene takes place in the early morning hours, with the people holding on to the broken mast of a ship. The rising sun is a bright spot of light under an otherwise dark and stormy scene. As the sun reflects in the waves of the sea, there is hope for the survivors.
The title of this piece refers to a common seaman’s expression used. The ninth wave is the last of a series of consecutively larger waves. It is the largest, most terrible, and most feared wave that sailors face during stormy seas. As the people hold on for survival, the final ninth wave approaches.
As is typical of Aivazovsky’s work, he depicts the struggles of humanity against the wilds of nature. The terror of the elements against hope and strength are depicted in a highly Romanticized and sublime style.
“The Ninth Wave” is currently on display at the State Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
For more on Ivan Aivazovsky, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
