Shipwrecked

Description

Shipwrecked

Edward Moran, 1877

Moran was considered the foremost marine painter of his time. Today, however, he is less well-known. Left in the shadow of his more famous brother, Thomas, Edward has often been overlooked. Even so, his art is worth paying attention to. In fact, we’d say it’s worth having in your home.

Edward Moran saw a distinction between decorative and scientific marine painters. Because of that, he aligned himself with the latter. Shipwreck scenes were one of his favorite subjects. Generally, his precise technique for rendering ocean waves and broad, dramatic skies suited shipwreck scenes well. Shipwrecked is one of several works by Moran containing a broken mast bobbing in dark waters.

The artist plays with startling contrasts here. The ominous, bleak foreground contrasts with the optimism of the brightly lit horizon, where seagulls soar and a lighthouse rises beyond the crashing waves.

Bring Shipwrecked home with you or browse all prints.

This piece was featured in our exhibition, “The First 100 Years.”

About the Exhibition

Over a century ago in 1909, construction began on the Maeser Building. It was the first structure on Brigham Young University’s current campus. During that same year, BYU began its art collection with a fine painting by Utah impressionist painter, John Hafen. This gift, donated by J. William Knight, launched a century of art collecting at BYU. It also began a legacy of philanthropy that has enriched the culture of the university and the surrounding community.

Now, one hundred years later, the university’s art collection has grown to nearly 17,000 works! They are all housed in a handsome, state-of-the-art museum. This exhibition tells that remarkable story. Explore the development of BYU’s art collection yourself and view many of the outstanding works that we’ve acquired over the last one hundred years. This show is perfect for art lovers of all ages. Join us at the BYU Museum of Art and check out a list of our current and upcoming exhibitions here.