Description
Martin J. Murray Incoming Fog, Maine Coast, 1977
Oil on canvas coastal landscape by Martin J. Murray (Rhode Island, 1908–1997), signed in red at the lower right and dated "'77," with the artist's handwritten title label affixed to the verso reading "Incoming Fog / Maine Coast" (with an inventory number "23"). Murray, a Newport native associated with the Rhode Island art community and trained at the Rhode Island School of Design as well as in Provincetown, is known for oils and watercolors that translate New England's maritime weather into structured, painterly passages of color. Here, a rocky headland pushes into a dark, wind-ruffled sea, the surf described in layered strokes that build the cresting foam into rhythmic, lace-like patterns as waves fold back over the ledge. A bank of incoming fog and low clouds drifts across a cool blue-green sky, softening the horizon line and partially veiling a distant island or headland, while small accents"”such as the pale seabird skimming near the rocks"”add scale and movement. The composition balances atmospheric distance with close, tactile handling of the shoreline, emphasizing Murray's interest in changing coastal light and the dramatic threshold where weather meets water.
Measurements: 24.5" h x 30.375" w.
Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Minor wear commensurate with age and handling. Some areas of crazing to surface.
Origin:
United States
Materials & Techniques:
Canvas, Oil Paint
International: No International Shipping for this auction.
Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.
Oil on canvas coastal landscape by Martin J. Murray (Rhode Island, 1908–1997), signed in red at the lower right and dated "'77," with the artist's handwritten title label affixed to the verso reading "Incoming Fog / Maine Coast" (with an inventory number "23"). Murray, a Newport native associated with the Rhode Island art community and trained at the Rhode Island School of Design as well as in Provincetown, is known for oils and watercolors that translate New England's maritime weather into structured, painterly passages of color. Here, a rocky headland pushes into a dark, wind-ruffled sea, the surf described in layered strokes that build the cresting foam into rhythmic, lace-like patterns as waves fold back over the ledge. A bank of incoming fog and low clouds drifts across a cool blue-green sky, softening the horizon line and partially veiling a distant island or headland, while small accents"”such as the pale seabird skimming near the rocks"”add scale and movement. The composition balances atmospheric distance with close, tactile handling of the shoreline, emphasizing Murray's interest in changing coastal light and the dramatic threshold where weather meets water.
Measurements: 24.5" h x 30.375" w.
Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Minor wear commensurate with age and handling. Some areas of crazing to surface.
Origin:
United States
Materials & Techniques:
Canvas, Oil Paint
International: No International Shipping for this auction.
Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.
Condition
Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Minor wear commensurate with age and handling. Some areas of crazing to surface.
Buyer's Premium
20%
Dimensions
24.5 x 30.38 x 1 in
Martin J. Murray (American, 1908–1997) "Incoming Fog, Maine Coast" 1977
Estimate $750-$2,240
Starting Price
$440
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Heirloom Living I
Jun 12, 2026 4:00 PM EDTNew York, NY, United States
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