Brig “Mercury” Attacked by Two Turkish Ships
Ivan Aivazovsky · 1892
Why it's great
A small Russian ship fights off two much larger Turkish ships on a rolling sea with sparks of cannon fire. In 1829, the brig Mercury actually won the battle, and became a legend. Aivazovsky painted the waves in dazzling detail. It's a thrilling picture of courage at sea.
Where to see it
📍 Feodosia National Gallery I. K. AivazovskyFeodosia, Ukraine
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Ivan Aivazovsky was born in Feodosia, a port town on the Crimean coast of the Black Sea. He became one of the greatest painters of the sea, producing about 6,000 works in his career. He traveled widely in Europe and served as a Russian navy painter. He lived most of his life in Feodosia, where he built a studio and art gallery for his hometown.
