Drawing of two icebergs in the ocean. The top part of the background is a light beige color which shows that it is a sunny day in the region. As we make our way to the middle of the drawing, we see the two icebergs separated by a path of water in the middle. The icebergs appear to be reaching into the sky similar to a person with outstretched arms. If the viewer looks between the two icebergs, there appears to be either a mountain or an iceberg in the distance. As we make our way to the right of the icebergs, the viewer might see the sillouthette of an iceberg peak. As we make our way to the bottom of the drawing, the background color changes from a light beige to a dark bluish color which represents the ocean. Unlike the tranqulity of the sky, the ocean is filled with whitecaps which means it is also a windy day.

There is one other image of this object. This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions), and as such we offer a high-resolution image of it. See our image rights statement.

Object Timeline

1917	We acquired this object.
2002	We photographed this object.
2013	We exhibited this object.
2018	We photographed this object.
2019	We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Drawing, Floating Icebergs

This is a Drawing. It was created by Frederic Edwin Church. It is dated June or July 1859 and we acquired it in 1917. Its medium is brush and oil paint, graphite on tan paperboard. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

“Icebergs, to the imaginative soul,” reflects Noble, “have a kind of individuality and life. They startle, frighten, awe; they astonish, excite, amuse, delight, and fascinate; clouds, mountains and structures, angels, demons, animals and men spring to the view of the beholder.”

This object was donated by Louis P. Church. It is credited Gift of Louis P. Church.

Its dimensions are

9.4 × 28.2 cm (3 11/16 × 11 1/8 in.) Frame: 39.4 × 50.2 × 2.5 cm (15 1/2 × 19 3/4 × 1 in.)

Cite this object as

Drawing, Floating Icebergs; Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826–1900); USA; brush and oil paint, graphite on tan paperboard; 9.4 × 28.2 cm (3 11/16 × 11 1/8 in.) Frame: 39.4 × 50.2 × 2.5 cm (15 1/2 × 19 3/4 × 1 in.); Gift of Louis P. Church; 1917-4-290-a

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibitions After Icebergs and MMA American Wing Frederic Church Oil Sketches.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2BgcT/
Accession Number 1917-4-290-a
Object ID 18196565