Ruin by the Sea

Arnold Böcklin

1881

oil on fabric

Cleveland Museum of Art

A ruined stone structure stands by a dark, wavy sea under a dramatic sky with sunbeams. Dark, tall trees rise beside the ruins, and a flock of birds flies overhead. The somber palette of black, umber, taupe, and dark blue, combined with the atmospheric rendering of the sea and sky, enhances the desolate mood of the ruined structure.