Treasures of the Sea
c. 1870–75
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
40.3 × 105.7 cm (15 7/8 × 41 5/8 in.); Framed: 82.9 × 148.6 cm (32 5/8 × 58 1/2 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
39510
Art Historical Context
Hans Makart, one of the most celebrated Austrian painters of the late nineteenth century, created *Treasures of the Sea* around 1870–75 during the height of his career in Vienna. Working in the historicist tradition, Makart blended elements of Romanticism with a theatrical flair inspired by earlier masters like Rubens. His works often featured rich, sensual imagery drawn from mythology and allegory, appealing to the opulent tastes of the Habsburg court and the rising bourgeoisie. Executed in oil on canvas, this modestly scaled yet elongated composition—measuring just over three feet wide—like...
About the Artist
Hans Makart · 1840–1884
Comment on works: History; Genre