Heavy Sea
ca. 1918
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design
Accession Number
1957.11.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Paul Dougherty's *Heavy Sea* (ca. 1918) captures the raw power of nature in a dramatic marine landscape, featuring turbulent waves crashing against rugged rocks along a stormy coast. As an American painter renowned for his seascapes, Dougherty masterfully conveys the sea's untamed energy, likely drawing from his lifelong fascination with coastal scenes painted en plein air. This oil painting exemplifies his bold, impressionistic style—influenced by European masters like Monet—where loose brushwork and vibrant blues and grays evoke motion and atmosphere. Created around the end of World War I, ...