VARTAN MAHOKIAN. Marine painting. Signed bottom right
Title: Rocky Coast with Breaking Waves
Artist: Vartan Mahokian (1869–1937)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: [Not specified]
Description:
Original seascape painting by Vartan Mahokian capturing the raw energy of the ocean as waves crash against jagged coastal rocks. The artist’s command of brushwork and tonal variation brings a sense of movement and tension to the composition, while the swirling foam and turbulent skies suggest both natural beauty and elemental power.
Renowned for his maritime scenes, Mahokian was one of the rare Armenian painters of his time devoted almost entirely to seascapes. His works reflect both technical precision and an emotional reverence for the sea. This piece exemplifies his gift for portraying the grandeur and volatility of coastal landscapes.
Vartan MAHOKIAN
Vartan Mahokian (1869–1937)
Vartan Mahokian was an Armenian-Ottoman painter celebrated for his masterful seascapes. Born in Trabzon on the Black Sea coast, he showed artistic talent early and later studied in Europe, particularly in Italy and France, where he was influenced by Western academic traditions.
Specializing in marine painting, Mahokian captured the movement, light, and atmosphere of the sea with remarkable realism and sensitivity. His works often depicted ships, harbors, and coastal scenes, blending meticulous detail with a romantic sense of nature’s power and beauty.
Mahokian’s career was shaped by both his Armenian heritage and the cosmopolitan environment of the late Ottoman and early Republican periods. Today, his paintings are prized for their technical skill and poetic evocation of the maritime world.
