Booty: Pictures From The Sea

Unbelievable as it may seem, it is the first Friday of December. And I think we all know what that means. With the Winter Holidays looming large, I’d like to, just as last year, take the next few Fridays to make some gift recommendations for the seafarers in your life; or maybe a little something for yourself since you are working so dang hard. Today, books full of beautiful pictures and paintings of, from and about the sea.For the photography buff, you cannot beat The Sea Day By Day by Philip Plisson. Plisson has been around the world and photographed the sea and the ships upon it – from simple boats to modern warships to tall ships in full sail – in all their permutations. The book is large so the pictures get plenty of room to show off. Given its size and number of thick, glossy pages (well over 400), the book is a bargain right now at under $30 in bookstores and at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. As the back flap of the book notes, Plisson is a member of “… the exclusive and historic group Peintres de la Marine (Official Painters of the French Navy)” and his work very much reflects his painterly way of looking at the world’s water.My next offering is not only for connoisseurs of great seafaring art, but for those who – like your humble hostess – adore the Aubrey/Maturin novels of Patrick O’Brian. The Marine Art of Geoff Hunt is a gorgeous, oversized volume that is most unfortunately out of print. Hunt, who is a gifted draftsman and painter, has numerous paintings and drawings featured in the book, not just those from the covers of the O’Brian books. There are modern cruise ships, yachts and battleships as well. Hunt’s finest, to my mind, are his paintings of tall ships which are stunningly reproduced here. Though the online prices are ludicrous ($90 and up), I saw this book recently at my local used bookstore, Title Wave, so keep your eyes peeled. This is a gem and well worth looking for.

Enjoy your Friday, Brethren. I hope its warm and sunny where you are and I also hope I’ll see ye one and all tomorrow for Sailor Mouth Saturday.

Header: HMS Artemis by Geoff Hunt; this picture comes from The Pixelated Palette where you can find posters of Mr. Hunt’s seafaring art.