Arcadópolis
Fishing Boats with Hucksters Bargaining for Fish
J. M. W. Turner, 1837–1838
What you see
On the left, a fishing boat heeled over by the wind carries a huge pale sail and is packed with people crowding the rail. A small rowing boat bobs in front of it. Farther back sails another boat, and on the right a crew of rowers pushes through the choppy water. Lower right, a dark buoy pokes above the waves.
The sky shifts from side to side: near-black clouds on the left, a patch of blue above, and bright white clouds on the right. The waves are built from thick strokes of cream, gray and green. Look for the small white pennant at the top of the mast and the figures aboard, sketched in quick touches of red and white.
About J. M. W. Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner was called “the painter of light”. He painted storms, raging seas, fog and colourful sunsets, and it is said he once had himself tied to a ship’s mast to watch a storm. He left thousands of works to his country, most of them kept today at the Tate in London.
More by J. M. W. Turner
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