What You Should Know About Seascape Paintings?

Not all seascapes are created equal. What makes a desirable and valuable seascape painting? Leaving the artist aside, Joshua Eldred shared his expertise on some of the elements the most sought after seascapes include.

1. Known location: Paintings that are either titled or depict easily identifiable landmarks that can pinpoint a location are often more desirable than a generic seascape. Collectors will often identify with a location, and artists, too, are often associated with a particular geographic area, so paintings outside of these areas are often harder to sell.
2. Size: It’s quite subjective, but if you analyze price data, you will notice that smaller paintings almost always bring more per square inch than larger paintings. Larger paintings will often dominate a room in unwanted ways and require great thought when it comes to where to hang them. Smaller to medium size paintings are more flexible, as they can more easily enhance a room rather than dominate it.
3. Format: Many seascapes are painted in panoramic format with a 2:1 ratio in length to height. While there are exceptions to any rule, horizontal paintings almost always bring more than vertical ones.
4. Light: The most valuable seascapes often include brilliantly lit skies from a sunrise or sunset. Paintings with dark and stormy skies are usually less valuable.
5. Subject Matter: While artists like Frederick J. Waugh specialized on almost exclusively on waves, the most popular seascapes tend to incorporate aspects of the landscape, land, sky as well as small human elements. Artists like John F. Kensett and Alfred Bricher were masters at depicting man’s smallness in nature and their works are some of the most sought after seascapes to this day.

Overall, the best course of action when starting seascape collection is to focus on a small group of artists, a style, or a geographic area and learn all you can. Go to auctions, visit galleries and museums, and most of all, talk to fellow collectors and trusted dealers and auctioneers. But most importantly, buy what you like.

SOURCE: invaluable.com