Orca and Steamship

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A striking naïve style contemporary painting that captures a moment of quiet drama at sea, executed in oil onto panel by British artist Matt Rix.

A monumental orca glides across softly undulating waters, its bold black-and-white form commanding the foreground. Behind it, a stylised steamship sails calmly across the horizon, smoke rising in gentle puffs toward a pale, clouded sky. In the distance, faint mountainous silhouettes dissolve into mist, creating a sense of depth while maintaining the painting’s charming simplicity.

Executed in a naïve style, the work embraces flat perspective and deliberate scale distortion.  The whale is rendered larger than life in relation to the ship, lending the scene a dreamlike, storytelling quality. The composition feels almost folkloric, as if suspended between reality and imagination.

The palette is restrained yet effective: cool blues dominate the sea and sky, layered in soft tonal shifts, while the orca’s deep matte black contrasts crisply against its creamy white markings. The ship introduces earthy browns, subtly grounding the scene.

Brushwork is controlled and minimal, with smooth, even application across the whale’s body and ship, enhancing their graphic clarity. The water and sky show slightly more texture, with gentle horizontal strokes suggesting movement and atmosphere without disrupting the overall calm. The result is a piece that feels both playful and contemplative: bold in silhouette, serene in mood.

This oil on board is housed in a brown painted wood frame with an inner gilt window. Both painting and frame are in excellent condition.

British artist Matt Rix spent his childhood in South Africa and now lives with his family on a small holding in rural North Wales. His paintings are uncomplicated, modernist representations influenced by primitive and naïve folk art from times past. Many of the subjects Rix paints are inspired by the animals he sees from day to day. Rix uses recycled materials including discarded paints, boards, frames and backing paper. Much of his work is therefore produced using waste materials resulting in sustainable paintings that evoke a time-worn, nostalgic essence.

To view the other paintings in this collection, click here.

Size: 38.5 x 43.5 cm (including frame)

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