There is something wonderfully modern about this little seascape. Painted around 1900, it is remarkably free in its handling and almost abstract in its conception. The artist reduces the scene to broad planes of luminous blue, white surf and sky: the great breaker rising from the sea is almost sculptural, while the dark rocky promontory to the right provides just enough structure to anchor the composition.This is unmistakably a northern sea, powerful and unsentimental. The painting captures not so much a place as the elemental force of the sea itself, and it is this confident economy of execution that give the work its appeal.This painting was offered by the reputable auction house Louiza Auction, Brussels, in 2014 as a work by the Russian landscape painter Nikolai Dubovsky/Dubovskoy (1859–1918). (Sale of 25 October, lot number 27, estimate 1500-2000 Euros). Due to the presence of an old varnish and old restorations, I am unable to guarantee the signature and am therefore offe...