Watch video













colors used
Select a frame


FRAMING INFORMATION
1st Art Gallery offers the option to receive your painting ready to hang or rolled in a tube.
Currently, for safety, we're able to ship framed paintings only up to a certain size. Once the maximum size is reached, the framing option is automatically disabled.
However, if you are interested in stretching or framing a painting larger than 24x36 inches (60x90 cm), please contact one of our customer success associates or let us know in your order notes. We will send you a catalog of our large framing styles and pricing options.
Unframed rolled canvas orders will arrive rolled inside a protective tube with an extra 1.5" white canvas on all sides so you can easily frame it locally.


Winslow Homer concluded the watercolor painting The Sponge Diver during the years 1898 and 1899, which is currently located at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. This artwork was part of a series of paintings the artist concluded while at the Caribbean. He would make frequent trips to tropical locations like the Bahamas, Cuba, and Bermuda to portray the people and the landscapes, mainly in watercolor. These scenes were very different than what he was accustomed to seeing from his studio in Prouts Neck, Maine.
The most interesting thing about this particular painting is that Homer used a bright red lake pigment – a popular pigment amongst artists of the XIX-century made from the madder plant – which faded over time. Since Homer decided to change the proportion of this work by placing a frame over the about four centimeters of the margin, this area was protected, and therefore not faded. This enabled professionals to alter the painting digitally, so it looks more like the original. Today, the water seen in the artwork has faint red strokes in some areas of the bright blue and aquamarine pigments. Homer was dedicated to portraying nature as he saw it and the unusual use of color is due to the dense quantity of the coral reef which reflects on the surface of the ocean.
Like most of Homer’s paintings of the local people, he depicts a typical scene of a man working in the ocean. As a close-up image, the back of the white raft is facing the viewer, while the rest of the boat exceeds the limits of the canvas. The dark brown row is sticking out of the back, and next to it, a man reaches with one hand, capturing the exact moment he is pulling himself up. In his left hand, the man holds a dark sponge in which he just collected. Homer’s impressive watercolor technique beautifully translates how the sunlight shines on the wet body, using rich brown pigments. Like in many of the artist’s artworks, the protagonist’s face is not visible, opening the work up to interpretation. In the far background, the pigment of the blue ocean gets darker, contrasting with the light-colored sky. The coast can be seen in the distant background, as well as a sailboat.
© 1st-Art-Gallery.com 2003 - 2025 - All Rights Reserved, original content, do not copy without permission.

Real Oil Paints, Real Brushes, Real Artists, Real Art. The Certificate of Authenticity which arrives with every painting provides an assurance and verifies the authenticity of the hand painted fine art reproduction you purchased. Each oil painting is created by hand using only the finest canvas and oil paints available.
Important Notes About Your Painting:
If you have any request to alter your reproduction of The Sponge Diver, you must email us after placing your order and we'll have an artist contact you. If you have another image of The Sponge Diver that you would like the artist to work from, please include it as an attachment. Otherwise, we will reproduce the above image for you exactly as it is.
- Ordered without a frame, it will be delivered in protective tube within 21-28 business days.
- When ordering the painting framed - allow additional 5-7 days for delivery. The painting will arrive ready to hang.
- Every painting is painted by an experienced artist.
- No printing or digital imaging techniques are used.
- 100% hand painted oil painting on artist grade canvas.
- Painting comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
- 365 days Money Back Guarantee.
- Enjoy Free Express Shipping.
- Hand crafted means unique to every owner. Each canvas reproduction may vary slightly in brush details due to the nature of being hand painted, so no two paintings are the same.
- For those customers who appreciate quality and want to own an artist's work as it was meant to be enjoyed we are here for you.

Free shipping is included in the price of the painting. Once the painting is ready and dry enough to ship, we will roll it and ship it in a sturdy cardboard tube.
We always ship express via courier to ensure your order reaches you as soon as possible - normally within three business days. The total delivery time from the moment you place your order until the package is delivered to your door is normally between three to four weeks.

If, in the unlikely event you were dissatisfied with the painting after reviewing it in person, it can be returned for a full refund for up to 365 days after delivery.
When you receive the painting; you are free to return it for more revisions or else for a full refund minus our actual shipping cost -- which is, on average, $35 per painting.

1st Art Gallery provides a full warranty covering manufacturing and material defects for paintings purchased from our website. The warranty covers damage for normal use. Damage caused by incidents such as accidents or inappropriate use are not covered.
Depending on the degree of damage to the warranted painting, it will either be repaired or replaced. This warranty service is provided free of charge.
Watch this video:

Related Categories