1983.20.3
Sea and Rocks
Artist
John Marin
(Rutherford, New Jersey, 1870 - 1953, Cape Split, Maine)
Title
Sea and Rocks
Creation Date
1943
Century
20th century
Dimensions
10 11/16 in. x 13 3/4 in. (27.15 cm x 34.9 cm)
Object Type
drawing
Creation Place
North America, United States, Maine
Medium and Support
graphite on off-white wove paper mounted on board
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Marin, Jr.
Copyright
This artwork may be under copyright. For further information, please consult the Museum’s
Copyright Terms and Conditions.
Accession Number
1983.20.3
In 1914, Marin spent his first summer in Maine. This marked the start of an involvement with Maine’s rocky coast that would last the rest of his life. In this study for a larger painting, Marin uses swirling, expressive lines to convey the sea’s constant movement, and jagged, dark lines to create the formidable rock face. The density of marks, both in the rocks and the sea, lend intensity to the scene. Although Marin was initially influenced by Cubism, in his later works, such as Sea and Rocks, he began to depart from the rigidity of that precedent and allowed the energy of the subject to dictate the work’s composition. Marin’s loose and abstract lines, elements seen in this work, were important influences on the younger generation of New York artists who established the Abstract Expressionist movement.
