Constantinos Volanakis

Volanakis' brilliant career in Europe commenced during his studies at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich and later Trieste. It was during his sojourn in Vienna that Volanakis would have the opportunity to travel throughout the Mediterranean in the Austrian Imperial Navy's training ship, which would prove the inspiration for his coastal and full ocean scenes, and the characters that populate his marine vistas. 

Volanakis' confined subject matter allowed him to examine every possible angle and element of the seascapes he observed firsthand in the Mediterranean. The dominance of the sky in compositions such as the present work, as well as the narrow horizon line, fluid and delicate colours and deftly-rendered figures are indicative of the influence of Dutch 17^th Century landscapes on Volanakis' seascapes. Known as the 'bard of the Greek sea,' Volanakis was primarily a careful and affectionate observer of nature whose knowledge of the sea encouraged the fullest expression of his talents.