By the Ocean

Author: Sofía Bassi

Title:Por el océano (By the Ocean)

Date: c. 1965

Material: Oil on masonite

Dimensions: Unknown

Location: Private collection

Rights: Sofía Bassi Foundation

Sofía Bassi’s By the Ocean presents the introspective dimension of her work. A spectral female figure stands at the edge of a rocky precipice, looking out toward the sea. Rendered in soft, translucent tones, the figure conveys solitude and a sense of suspension between distinct states. Several elements interrupt the natural setting. An hourglass rests on the shore and introduces a reflection on time, while a lion’s face appears in the cliff and adds a mythological note. The contrast between the dark, textured ground and the luminous turquoise sky sharpens the composition and unsettles the sense of place.