The Bark
Pierre Ozanne
1771/80
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, and white gouache, over black chalk, on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
20.5 × 35 cm (8 1/8 × 13 13/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
190591
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
From a family of naval artists, Pierre Ozanne set out in 1771 as a draftsman on a scientific mission to Spain, the Canary Islands, Africa, and North America, venturing on to Santo Domingo before returning to the coast of France. This scene reveals his mastery of marine subjects as well as his admiration for native peoples, depicted here as both brave and vulnerable in the face of the agitated sea and the enormous European ships.