Spirit of the Sea

Bertha Lum

"Spirit of the Sea" is a color woodcut Lum did in 1916 and is one of a number of Art Nouveau-like compositions based on Japanese myths. A spirit rises from the sea, holding a globe in her hand that she has lifted from the globes floating at her feet. A large wave with a pillar of figures coils over her head.

"Spirit of the Sea" was illustrated in an article about Lum's work in International Studio, January, 1921. Lum commented about this image: "Lonely as the ever-breaking waves, though surrounded by the jewels of the deep, only the spirits of the dead for company."

Bertha Lum experimented with variations in color with her work and the images will vary considerably. This impression is done in blues and grays with a tan color to pull the figure together. Lum has signed, dated, copyrighted and numbered this work "52" in pencil in the lower margin.