Gorgeous moody oil on canvas of a windswept sea coast, the ship is perilously heading for the rocks, signed and dated 1887 in the lower right. Ivan Aivazovksy was a Russian painter of Armenian descent living and working in Crimea, most famous for his seascapes and coastal scenes, which constitute more than half of his paintings. Aivazovsky's technique and imagination in depicting the shimmering play of light on the waves and seafoam is especially admired, and gives his seascapes a romantic yet realistic quality that echoes the work of English watercolorist J. M. W. Turner and Russian painter Sylvester Shchedrin. Especially effective is his ability to depict diffuse sunlight and moonlight, sometimes coming from behind clouds, sometimes coming through a fog, with almost transparent layers of paint. A series of paintings of naval battles painted in the 1840s brought his dramatic skills to the fore, with the flames of burning ships reflected in water and clouds. He also painted landscapes, including scenes of peasant life in Ukraine and city life in Constantinople. Overall size: 19 1/2 x 26 in. Sight size: 13 1/2 x 20 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.