Sea Grape, Marina Cay, B.V.I.

Artist Ross Eugene Braught (American, 1898 - 1983)

Date1942

MediumGraphite on paper

DimensionsImage: 17 1/2 × 24 inches (44.45 × 60.96 cm)
Mat: 26 × 32 inches (66.04 × 81.28 cm)

Credit LineGift of Rilye (Toi) and George Ashby in honor of the 75th anniversary of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Object number2009.16.1

SignedSigned and dated in graphite, lower right: Ross Braught 1942

InscribedInscribed in graphite lower left: Sea Grape; Inscribed in graphite lower right: Ross Braught 1942 / Marina Cay---B. V. I.

On View

Not on view

Collections

American Art

Terms

DescriptionRoss Eugene Braught's large graphite on paper drawing Sea Grape, Marina Cay--- B. V. I., 1942, describes the accutely observed twisted trunk; curving branches; smooth, slightly-mottled bark; and round, leathery leaves with prominent veining associated with the tropical tree known as the sea grape. The sprawling tangle of branches in the foreground of the composition opens up in the lower right to reveal a view of an uneven, sandy shore. Beyond the beach with its small wind-shaped dunes, the calm waters of the Caribbean lagoon are lit by a full moon that has just started its rise in the cloud-filled night sky.Gallery Label

Gallery Label

Ross Eugene Braught resided in the tropics between 1936 and 1946. During this time, he made drawings using only graphite due to art supply shortages caused by World War II. The setting for this drawing is Marina Cay, an eight-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It depicts a sea grape, a tree found on sandy beaches. Although precisely rendered by Braught, this sea grape is pushed to the brink of abstraction, introducing an element of strangeness into his meticulously described vision of the natural world.

Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.