French school of the 18th century

French school of the 18th century.
"The storm".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Unsigned.
Measurements: 33 x 42 cm; 42,5 x 51 cm (frame).

The work in tender drinks from the influence of Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714-1789), undisputed master of marine painting specialized in the realization of dramatic and emotional storms. The artist of our canvas succeeds in capturing the uncontrollable force and fury of nature by focusing on the waves that break forcefully against the ships and the coast. To do so, he employs a dark and threatening sky plagued by dense, leaden clouds that serves as a backdrop for the shipwrecked vessels and the characters who have managed to survive by reaching dry land. Lightning flashes across the sky momentarily illuminating the scene, heightening the tension. Ultimately a lighthouse rises imposingly.