Who painted Mermaids Under Water?

Mermaids Under Water was painted by Félix Ziem in 1874.

Where can I see Mermaids Under Water?

Mermaids Under Water is held by Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

What movement is Mermaids Under Water?

Mermaids Under Water is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Mermaids Under Water

Félix Ziem , 1874

Mermaids Under Water is an unspecified painting by the Impressionist artist Félix Ziem. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Félix Ziem, a French painter linked to the Barbizon School and noted for occasional Orientalist subjects, completed the canvas *Mermaids Under Water* in 1874. The work is part of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s collection and presents a mythological underwater scene rendered in an Impressionist manner.

Subject & Meaning

The composition gathers several mermaids amid a submerged landscape of seaweed and marine flora. The figures assume a range of poses, some gliding through the water while others appear to hover, suggesting a tranquil, otherworldly gathering beneath the sea’s surface.

Technique & Style

Executed with a muted palette of blues and greens, the painting emphasizes the fluidity of water through soft, blended brushwork. The handling of light and color reflects Impressionist concerns with atmosphere and movement, while the overall softness hints at the sfumato technique’s influence on the rendering of depth.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑1870s, *Mermaids Under Water* entered the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s holdings in the twentieth century, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in 19th‑century French art that bridges academic and avant‑garde tendencies.

Context

Ziem’s career was rooted in the Barbizon tradition of landscape painting, yet this work shows his engagement with the burgeoning Impressionist language of light and color. The mythological subject aligns with the era’s fascination with exotic and fantastical themes, a thread also evident in his occasional Orientalist pieces.