Martin J. Murray (American, 1908–1997) "Incoming Fog, Maine Coast" 1977

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Martin J. Murray Incoming Fog, Maine Coast, 1977

Oil on canvas coastal landscape by Martin J. Murray (Rhode Island, 1908–1997), … Read more Martin J. Murray Incoming Fog, Maine Coast, 1977

Oil on canvas coastal landscape by Martin J. Murray (Rhode Island, 1908–1997), signed in red at the lower right and dated “’77,” with the artist’s handwritten title label affixed to the verso reading “Incoming Fog / Maine Coast” (with an inventory number “23”). Murray, a Newport native associated with the Rhode Island art community and trained at the Rhode Island School of Design as well as in Provincetown, is known for oils and watercolors that translate New England’s maritime weather into structured, painterly passages of color. Here, a rocky headland pushes into a dark, wind-ruffled sea, the surf described in layered strokes that build the cresting foam into rhythmic, lace-like patterns as waves fold back over the ledge. A bank of incoming fog and low clouds drifts across a cool blue-green sky, softening the horizon line and partially veiling a distant island or headland, while small accents—such as the pale seabird skimming near the rocks—add scale and movement. The composition balances atmospheric distance with close, tactile handling of the shoreline, emphasizing Murray’s interest in changing coastal light and the dramatic threshold where weather meets water.

Measurements: 24.5" h x 30.375" w. See less