John Syer, Shipwreck on the Cornwall Coast, Oil on Canvas

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Title: "a wrack on the cornwall coast"

author: john syer r.i. (1815–1885)

medium: oil on canvas

dimensions: impressive 155 x … Read more Title: "a wrack on the cornwall coast"

author: john syer r.i. (1815–1885)

medium: oil on canvas

dimensions: impressive 155 x 105 cm (including frame), 125 x 75 cm (canvas only).

period: 19th century (late 19th century britain)

this majestic seascape captures the wild drama of the cornish coast, a central theme in the work of master john syer. The work is a masterful example of late-victorian english romanticism, where the force of the natural elements (the stormy sea and rugged cliffs) overwhelms man, evoking the concept of the "sublime."
the brushstrokes are rich and textured, realistically rendering both the foam of the crashing waves and the solidity of the coastal rock. The use of light is atmospheric, typical of the british school, with a sky that suggests the rapid change of weather.

notes on the author: john syer r.i.
john syer was one of the most prominent landscape painters of his era. A member of the prestigious royal institute of painters in water colours (r.i.), he exhibited regularly at the royal academy in london and the british institution. His works are now held in important public collections and museums in the united kingdom (including bristol and sheffield). Syer is renowned for his ability to infuse realism and "air" into his landscapes, often favoring the coastal views of wales and cornwall. See less