The Sea

John Frederick Kensett

1872 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

This contemplative seascape likely depicts the Long Island Sound from Contentment Island, Darien, Connecticut, where Kensett lived and worked from 1867 until his death in 1872. In this boldly simplified composition, the artist distilled nature to its most essential elements—land, sea, and sky—the last covering two-thirds of the canvas. Small sailboats dot the horizon, creating the illusion of depth and emphasizing the limitlessness of the ocean. Such views were widely popular with urban collectors, who often sought out meditative idealizations of nature as antidotes to fast-paced city life.

Artist

John Frederick Kensett

Date

1872

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Thomas Kensett, 1874