The Surf

This painting of a roiling sea was the first to enter the collection of the Akron Art Museum. Its inventory number, 1923.1, is listed after the donor’s name on the label. It reveals that the painting was acquired in 1923 (the year after the institution was founded) and was the first work to enter the collection that year. Torrey painted still lifes and portraits in a conservative style, but many of his seascapes, including this one, are more abstract. By interweaving choppy brushstrokes, Torrey emphasized the patterns formed by water moving over the rocks.