The Islet

More about The Islet

An oil painting depicts a fantastical island scene at sea. A quaint, red-roofed house with a tall spire and a distinctive red and white striped hot air balloon attached to it sits on a small floating island of green grass with sparse trees. A man in a red cloak stands on the edge of the island beside a sailboat mast, looking out at the turquoise sea. A wooden ladder descends from the island into the water. In the swirling blue and yellow water, several large, spherical objects or buoys float. The sky above is a dramatic mixture of dark blue, white, and golden clouds, with warm light radiating from a central bright circle in the sky, suggesting a sun or celestial event. A full moon is visible in the upper left, and another, smaller celestial body is in the upper right. Several birds are flying around the island, and a small, lone rowboat is in the water near the ladder. The waves have a painterly, textured quality.