Constantinos Volanakis

Volanakis won renown as the foremost marine painter in Greece during the nineteenth century with his masterful representation of ships, detailed recordings of naval fittings and sensitive renderings of atmospheric changes. Painted in golden yellows, reds and blues, Volanakis captured the calm of the sea and the atmospheric beauty of this placid scene. In the foreground two sailing boats have been brought to shore after a day at sea. The fishermen, one wearing a bright red jacket and the other a vibrant yellow hat, are mending the nets. In the background several ships are anchored off shore.

Mending the Nets bears testimony not only to Volanakis's love of ships and the sea, but also of his skill at capturing the effects of light, wind and atmosphere. The painting is as much an exploration of the light and colour as it is a marine painting in the traditional sense.