John MarinAmerican, 1870–1953Nudes in Sea
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Nudes in Sea” now? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Not on view at present. Checked October 12, 2026.
Chicago, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Some of Marin’s Cape Split seascapes incorporate voluptuous female nudes, who swim, wade, and sun themselves on rocks. His models included his wife and the couple’s neighbor, though many compositions were clearly imagined. When he started this watercolor, he addressed the seascape first, leaving the seven female forms in reserve. Marin later fleshed them out in pink, with darker red shading. He used black crayon to define the figures’ broken contours, underscoring each nude with a heavy, shiny black line to anchor the bodies on the rocks. Two horizontal lines in the sky seem to symbolize the unity of ocean and women in this world of abundant beauty.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1949.572
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — © the artist or rights holder
![Hudson Valley Gingerbread Cottage and Landscape with House [recto], John Marin](https://api.nga.gov/iiif/fada4ac9-595c-4c2a-80ef-218d7617ec70/full/!2400,2400/0/default.jpg)
![Untitled [New York City] [verso], John Marin](https://api.nga.gov/iiif/59762cc2-ec54-46f6-a86e-0a6e88291871/full/!2400,2400/0/default.jpg)
![Landscape with Disstant Mountains [verso], John Marin](https://api.nga.gov/iiif/a8bf3654-f515-4618-9a78-783afaf4fca1/full/!2400,2400/0/default.jpg)
