The Sea
John Frederick Kensett American
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.
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