The dramatic, tempestuous and glorious history of the shipwreck, told through centuries of art.

The ocean is a never-ending source of fascination and almost mystical attraction, but we also fear its depth and potential for destruction. In this spectacular book we explore the ocean and what it represents with an array of great ships and great artists. These works depict fear and bravery, hope and desperation, life and death - and people's struggle against immense danger. The paintings in this book transform shipwrecks into powerful metaphors for human vulnerability.

Embark on a journey spanning several centuries, from medieval mythical disasters via Romantic tragedies to shipwrecks in the contemporary realist era. The paintings presented in the book are from many of the finest museums in the world, among them the Louvre in Paris, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the National Gallery in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The introduction is written by Christine Riding, head of the curatorial department at London's National Gallery.