GUSTAVE LE GRAY - The Great Wave, Sète

THE ARTWORK

"The Great Wave," created by Gustave Le Gray in 1857, is a pioneering work in early seascape photography. Le Gray, a French photographer known for his technical innovations, crafted this image using a combination of two negatives—one for the sky and one for the sea. This method allowed him to overcome the limitations of early photographic techniques, where capturing both elements in proper exposure was challenging.

The photograph depicts a dramatic, cresting wave rolling toward the shore, with the sky’s light and cloud patterns adding to the scene’s grandeur. Unlike traditional maritime art, Le Gray’s approach to the seascape emphasized the beauty of nature in motion, blending the scientific precision of photography with a painterly composition.

"The Great Wave" is celebrated not just for its aesthetic power but also for advancing photographic techniques, making Le Gray a key figure in the development of landscape photography. The work remains iconic in the history of photography.

THE ARTIST

Gustave Le Gray (1820–1884) and Auguste Mestral (1812–1884) were pioneering French photographers who played significant roles in the early development of photography in the mid-19th century. Le Gray, trained as a painter before turning to photography, became one of the most influential figures in the photographic world, known for his technical innovations and artistic approach to the medium. He is particularly famous for advancing the wet-collodion process and for developing combination printing, which allowed for capturing both the sky and the landscape in a single image with remarkable clarity and detail.

Le Gray’s seascapes, like The Great Wave, Sète (1857), are among his most celebrated works, praised for their dramatic compositions and manipulation of light. His ability to blend scientific precision with aesthetic beauty established him as a master in both technical and artistic realms of photography.

THE PRINT

• A4 Size = 29.7cm x 21cm = 11.7" x 8.25"
• A3 Size = 42cm x 29.7cm = 16.5" x 11.7"
• High resolution giclée print - 600dpi
• Printed to order
• Unframed & unmounted
• Professionally printed using Canon imagePROGRAF printers
• Digitally restored by OharaPrints from high resolution scans of the original artwork
• Made in and shipped from Casterton, Victoria, Australia

PAPER

• Canson Infinity - Arches BFK Rives White
• Paper weight = 310gsm
• 100% cotton
• Archival, museum grade
• Acid free
• No OBAs (optical brightening agents)

Arches BFK Rives is a high-quality, archival-grade paper manufactured at the Arches paper mill in France - one of the oldest papermakers in Europe. It is made from 100% cotton rag using a time-honoured manufacturing process, giving the paper exceptional durability, longevity, and resistance to yellowing or deterioration over time. Despite its substantial weight and thickness it maintains a very soft and supple feel. The paper has a natural white tone and is completely free of any optical brighteners (OBAs), allowing for superb colour rendition and deep blacks.

INK

• Canon Lucia Pro Inks
• Pigment based
• Archival, museum-grade
• Brilliant colours, even gradient and razor-sharp lines
• Highly stable and fade resistant, excellent humidity-fastness

SHIPPING & HANDLING

• All orders are dispatched on the NEXT BUSINESS DAY after receiving the order
• All prints are shipped via AUSTRALIA POST with TRACKING
• For postage rates and estimated delivery times please see our SHIPPING page
• All prints are shipped flat, not rolled
• Each print is individually placed into a resealable, archival grade plastic protective sleeve
• Prints are carefully packaged in very sturdy 700gsm cardboard envelopes, along with 1050gsm boxboard sheets which provide extra strength & rigidity to prevent bending or folding during transit