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The Toilers of the Sea

ca. 1880–85
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 757
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.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Toilers of the Sea
  • Artist: Albert Pinkham Ryder (American, New Bedford, Massachusetts 1847–1917 Elmhurst, New York)
  • Date: ca. 1880–85
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on wood
  • Dimensions: 11 1/2 x 12 in. (29.2 x 30.5 cm)
  • Credit Line: George A. Hearn Fund, 1915
  • Object Number: 15.32
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

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Nourmahal, Albert Pinkham Ryder American, Oil on wood, American
Nourmahal
Albert Pinkham Ryder
by 1924
Pasture at Evening, Albert Pinkham Ryder American, Oil on canvas, American
Pasture at Evening
Albert Pinkham Ryder
1912–32
Autumn Meadows, Albert Pinkham Ryder American, Oil on canvas mounted on wood, American
Autumn Meadows
Albert Pinkham Ryder
1912–17
Landscape, Albert Pinkham Ryder American, Oil on canvas, American
Landscape
Albert Pinkham Ryder
1897–98 (?)
The Bridge, Albert Pinkham Ryder American, Oil on gilt leather, American
The Bridge
Albert Pinkham Ryder
ca. 1880

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