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Konstantinos Volanakis
The morning catch
1888-1890
oil on canvas
76 x 135 cm
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One of Volanakis’ favourite genre themes, fishing with nets, is depicted with the warm colours of sunrise.

The painter’s familiar composition is repeated, the main theme is rendered in the middle in full detail, while the seascape sprawls in the rest of the painting with a description of a general visual impression.

The silent landscape has the usual alluring aspect of the painter’s works. Absolute stillness permeates the atmosphere and the viewer is captivated by its incomparable beauty. Soft tones of cool and warm hues alternate and create a uniformity.

In the background, the imaginary line of the horizon separating the sky from the land can be seen on the left, while the contours of a semi-mountainous area of land with a small coastal settlement emerge on the right. In the middle of the sea, a fishing sailboat with taut sails can be seen sailing away. In the foreground, the act of fishing is unfolding in the centre. Fishermen on a fishing boat with tied sails are pulling in the nets, while a woman holding a parasol is sitting on the deck and a boat with a rower can be seen next to them.

Bibliography


Marilena Z. Kassimati (curator), Constantinos Volanakis: Poet of the Sea, exhibition catalogue, Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation, Hellenic Maritime Museum, Athens 2009, pp. 159, 185 (n.d.).

Takis Mavrotas (curator), Constantinos Volanakis: The Father of Greek Seascape Painting, exhibition catalogue, B&M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts, Athens 2018, p. 78.

Thodoris Koutsogiannis (curator), Constantinos Volanakis: Nostos of the Sea. Artworks from the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation collection, exhibition catalogue, Municipal Art Gallery of Chania, pp. 118-119.

Sotheby’s / London, The Greek Sale, 16/11/2004.

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