The 10 Finest Portrayals of Beaches in Art History

Summer invites us to wander through galleries and museums worldwide, just as it beckons us to the sunlit shores of beaches. Why not merge these two pleasures when possible? We’ve curated 10 exceptional depictions of beaches in art—some are tangible locations you can visit, while others exist only in the realm of imagination, waiting to be explored through the artist’s vision.

1. Pablo Picasso, On the Beach (1937)

Unlike Picasso’s earlier, more indulgent beach compositions—such as Two Women Running on the Beach (1922)—this later piece by the Cubist pioneer carries a more somber mood. It features two female figures摆弄着 what seems to be a small toy boat, with an unknown figure observing from a distance. Some scholars interpret the shadowy form looming on the horizon as an allusion to the grim atmosphere cast by the impending Spanish Civil War.

2. Salvador Dalí, The Persistence of Memory (1931)

This iconic work with melting timepieces is undoubtedly one of Dalí’s most renowned creations, but a lesser-known detail is that its dreamlike setting is rooted in reality: the coastal landscape loosely mirrors Cadaqués Beach in Catalonia, a place the Surrealist artist frequented during his childhood.

3. Winston Churchill, Untitled (1946)

Primarily celebrated as a statesman, Winston Churchill was also a passionate painter, having completed over 500 oil paintings in his lifetime. We’re all familiar with his famous “We shall fight on the beaches” speech, but few know he also captured beaches on canvas. This oil painting of a Miami beach in Florida by the former British prime minister recently sold for £192,000 ($254,000) at a Boningtons auction.

4. Antony Gormley, Another Place (1997)

If you’re staying close to home this summer, this is one artwork you can experience in person. Originally displayed on the beach of Cuxhaven in Germany, the 100 cast-iron sculptures that compose Antony Gormley’s installation Another Place now reside permanently at Crosby Beach in Liverpool. These contemporary sculptures, facing the open sea, are casts of Gormley’s own body—departing from the traditional depictions of heroic historical figures or mythological scenes. The iron figures appear deep in contemplation, perhaps stirred by the awe-inspiring expanse of water to reflect on their place in time and space.

5. Snarkitecture, The Beach (2015)

You may recall the 10,000-square-foot architectural installation—complete with deck chairs, parasols, and a “sea”—that took over Washington D.C.’s National Building Museum a few years back. Innovative design firm Snarkitecture was tasked with transforming the Great Hall, and they did so brilliantly, even crafting a fluid-like ball pit filled with one million transparent plastic balls to mimic the ocean. The Beach was not only a playful attraction but also a thought-provoking piece: man-made beaches challenge our perception of the seaside as a purely natural space. Despite the absence of sand and real seawater, the installation is instantly recognizable as a beach, drawing attention to the artificiality embedded in our modern understanding of coastal leisure.

6. Claude Monet, Camille on the Beach at Trouville (1870)

No list of artistic beach depictions would be complete without a nod to the Impressionists. This Normandy beach is still accessible today, but a close inspection of Monet’s canvas reveals a tangible connection to its sands—wind blew grains onto the painting as he worked outdoors. This piece is one of five beach scenes Monet created during the summer of 1870, serving as a poignant example of the Impressionist’s talent for capturing a fleeting moment. Gazing at it, you can almost detect the salt in the air, feel the sea spray carried by the breeze, and hear the impending crash of a wave on the shore. The figure in the painting—her face partially hidden by a veil—is Monet’s wife, Camille; despite her relaxed posture, she adds a subtle undercurrent of tension to an otherwise carefree scene.

7. Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (c.1486)

This world-famous masterpiece by the 15th-century Florentine master has been widely referenced, copied, and parodied throughout history. Botticelli’s iconic Venus, born from the sea foam, embodies the Neoplatonic concept of divine love—her unapologetic nudity was a radical choice in a Renaissance era dominated by Christian-themed art. Why not attempt to recreate this timeless scene during your summer adventures?

8. Edgar Degas, Beach Scene (1876-77)

In contrast to his Impressionist peers, who embraced the challenging outdoor settings favored by plein-air painters, Degas chose to paint this beach scene in his studio. This decision likely contributes to the work’s slightly surreal, otherworldly aura. Instead of conveying spontaneity and immediacy, the painting feels staged, clearly the product of careful, prolonged reflection.

9. Rebecca Horn, L’Estel Ferit (1992)

L’Estel Ferit—or “The Wounded Shooting Star”—is a sculpture in Barcelona, commissioned as part of a much-needed urban beautification project ahead of the 1992 Olympic Games. The four cubic structures that form the tower are stacked at awkward angles, giving the piece an unstable appearance that often unsettles tourists. Beyond its obvious echoes of lighthouses (the sculpture is illuminated at night), Horn’s work pays homage to Barcelona’s fishing district by immortalizing the dilapidated beachside bars and restaurants—small shacks known as chiringuitos—that once lined the waterfront.

10. Damian Elwes, Matisse’s Studio (Collioure, 1905) (2007)

Last but not least, Damian Elwes—a U.S.-based English artist renowned for his stunning depictions of 19th and 20th-century masters’ studios—created this piece. It is one of several paintings Elwes made of Matisse’s workspaces; from this very studio in Collioure, Matisse likely painted his famous beach scene View of Collioure (1905).