Courbet referred to his seascapes as "landscapes of the sea," a term that especially resonates in the context of his wave paintings. Here, Courbet sculpted the water with his palette knife, just as he rendered the limestone cliffs and rocky grottoes in his Ornans landscapes. Cézanne later recalled his impressions of this painting: "The one in Berlin is marvelous, one of the important creations of the century. ... It hits you right in the stomach. You have to step back. The entire room feels the spray."