Shipwreck near a Rocky Coast

Thomas Birch American, born England, 1779–1851 →

19th centurypaintingoil on canvas

Date

1833

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

51.4 × 76.8 cm (20 1/4 × 30 1/4 in.)

Museum

Art Institute of Chicago

Location

Chicago, IL

Credit

Gift of the family of Richard H. Daniel

Based in Philadelphia, Thomas Birch was a leading marine painter who helped establish the genre in early 19th-century America. Shipwreck near a Rocky Coast is a romantic, imaginative composition that highlights human struggle against the forces of nature: the ship’s sails are torn, its masts lean to one side, and a tiny group of seafarers attempts to flee the disaster. Birch rendered the scene in dramatic detail, yet left the narrative unresolved.

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