From majestic ships crashing through waves to powerful portraits of sailors and sea gods, these murals span cities and coasts to bring ocean legends to life. This curated collection includes works from France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and beyond—each one a tribute to maritime culture, the mysteries of the deep, and the stories carried by the tide.
Epic Poseidon Mural by Ster UPC in Southend-on-Sea, London, UK
A towering tribute to Poseidon, this vivid blue mural by Ster UPC features the god of the sea with a flowing beard, golden crown, and trident. The swirling waves and powerful gaze give the illusion of oceanic movement.
Life at Sea by DJOELS in Basque Country, Spain
In this grayscale mural, a weathered man with glasses builds a ship model while ghostly ships loom behind him. A tentacle curls beneath his hands, merging memory and maritime legend.
Photo by Dieter Wundes
Wanderer by Innerfields in Cologne, Germany
Referencing Caspar David Friedrich’s famous painting, this mural shows a modern wanderer gazing at a capsized ship as a distant cathedral rises through the mist—blending romanticism and catastrophe.
More photos: Wanderer – By Innerfields in Cologne, Germany (5 photos)
Old Man and the Sea 2.0 by Creaero in Morlaix, France
A powerful monochrome portrait of an elderly sea captain, paired with a puffin and a storm-lashed lighthouse. The mural evokes life at sea, resilience, and solitude.
PHOENIX by Gert Neuhaus in Berlin, Germany
Painted in 1989, this monumental mural blends architecture and illusion, depicting a massive ship bow slicing through waves, crashing right through the building’s facade.
Shark by Blesea in Cherbourg, Normandy, France
In an abandoned structure, Blesea paints a 3D great white shark swimming through coral reefs. The artist sits above it with snorkel gear, merging art with play.
The Drunken Ship by Claire Daliers in Brussels, Belgium
A full-building mural of a sailing ship cutting through waves, perfectly integrated with the structure’s windows and walls—an iconic piece of trompe-l’œil art.
The Ocean Statue of Neptune in Gran Canaria, Spain
This haunting sculpture of Neptune emerging from the sea holds a trident and appears in multiple sea states. It evokes awe and reverence for ocean mythology.
Poseidon Mural by Braga Last One in Lisbon, Portugal
This mural shows Poseidon in decayed classical ruins, holding his trident and surrounded by graffiti, creating a fusion of mythology and urban decay. The first image shows the wall before it was painted, and the second shows the completed mural in its full glory.
The Eye by Näutil in Siouville-Hague, France
Painted on a WWII bunker, this eye-shaped mural gazes across the beach —turning a relic of war into a watchful guardian of the sea.
Octopus Mural by Tyler Toews in Vancouver, Canada
Painted for the Vancouver Mural Festival, this surreal piece shows a giant octopus grappling with a plastic bottle drifting through the ocean. Inside the bottle, a sailing ship is trapped—blurring the line between myth and environmental warning. The vibrant blues and dynamic composition stretch across the building’s surface, blending underwater perspective with striking realism.
Which one is your favorite?
