Artwork
Storm-Tossed Ships Wrecked on a Rocky Coast
Storm-Tossed Ships Wrecked on a Rocky Coast is a gouache drawing by the Baroque artist Johann Christoph Dietzsch. It dates from 1740 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Storm-Tossed Ships Wrecked on a Rocky Coast is a 1740 gouache drawing on vellum by Johann Christoph Dietzsch.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a turbulent marine scene with three ships crashing into rocky outcrops, one of which is already broken apart amidst swirling, dark waters.
Technique & Style
Executed in gouache on vellum, the work features vivid, chalky colors that lend an intense, unnatural luminosity to the scene.
Context
Dietzsch's fascination with storms and shipwrecks is evident in this dramatic representation, a theme that was also explored by other artists, such as Willem van de Velde the Elder.
Artist & collection
