Surf Sequence 4, San Mateo County Coast, California

1940, printed 1982

Ansel Adams

Associated Names
Ansel Adams

Artist, American, 1902 - 1984

The image displays a bird's-eye view of ocean waves interacting with the shore. The horizon is not visible, and the focus is on the textures created by the waves approaching the beach. The waves are close, breaking onto a strip of wet sand and pebbles. The waves are textured with white foam against darker water, captured with a rapid shutter speed. The colors are grayscale, emphasizing the water's texture and movement against the pebbly surface, which is smooth. The foreground transitions from a darker, smooth surface to a textured, lighter area where the foam dissipates, capturing a natural seaside interaction in monochrome.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Virginia B. Adams

  • Dimensions

    overall: 31.3 x 27.5 cm (12 5/16 x 10 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1986.3.74


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Virginia B. Adams, Carmel, CA; gift to NGA, 1986.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1985

  • Alinder, James, and Nicolai Cikovsky, Jr. Ansel Adams: Classic Images, The Museum Set. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Boston, 1985: 29.

Inscriptions

lower right on mount in graphite: Ansel Adams (underlined)

Wikidata ID

Q64144936

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