ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Aegean Sea

ca. 1877
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 760
Church toured West Asia and Europe in 1867–69. The Aegean Sea, his final large-scale picture, is a composite landscape, based on sketches and photographs he had made in different locations: at left are elements of the carved-rock city of Petra, in present-day Jordan; at right, ancient Roman columns seen in Syria; and in the distance, a mosque suggesting Constantinople and classical ruins evoking the Acropolis in Athens. These old world sites, hallowed by history and the Bible, helped affirm Church’s religious beliefs at a time when new scientific discoveries were challenging his faith.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Aegean Sea
  • Artist: Frederic Edwin Church (American, Hartford, Connecticut 1826–1900 New York)
  • Date: ca. 1877
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 54 in. × 84 1/4 in. (137.2 × 214 cm)
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. William H. Osborn, 1902
  • Object Number: 02.23
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
The Heart of the Andes
Frederic Edwin Church
William Forrest
1862
Homage to Church's Picture, "The Heart of the Andes": Marche di Bravura, The Andes
Multiple artists/makers
1863
The Parthenon, Frederic Edwin Church American, Oil on canvas, American
The Parthenon
Frederic Edwin Church
1871
Heart of the Andes, Frederic Edwin Church American, Oil on canvas, American
Heart of the Andes
Frederic Edwin Church
1859
Niagara, Frederic Edwin Church American, Oil on paper laid down on canvas, American
Returned to lender
Niagara
Frederic Edwin Church
ca. 1858

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Frederic Edwin Church - The Aegean Sea - American - The Metropolitan Museum of Art