The Toilers of the Sea

Albert Pinkham Ryder

ca. 1880–85 · Oil on wood · The American Wing

Raised in the whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Ryder continued to be drawn to marine subjects after his 1870 move to New York City. A sea-captain friend once observed that the artist would study the moon on the Hudson River to capture "moonlight effects." In addition to working from nature, Ryder was also inspired by literature. This painting may relate to Victor Hugo’s 1866 novel of the same name. Ryder’s technique of applying pigment in thick layers has altered the surface over time, but this gemlike work still conveys the artist’s haunting vision.

Artist

Albert Pinkham Ryder

Date

ca. 1880–85

Medium

Oil on wood

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

George A. Hearn Fund, 1915